Updated Victorian Restrictions and Childcare permits

Melbourne - Stage 4 Restrictions

Regional Victoria - Stage 3 Restrictions

Restrictions

A curfew is in place from 8pm Sunday 2nd August. Curfews will be in operation from 8pm to 5am every evening. People are only allowed to leave their house for work and essential health, care or safety reasons.

Outside of these hours, you are only allowed to leave your house for 1 of the following four reasons:

• To purchase food and necessary supplies. This must be done within a 5km radius from where you live. Only 1 person per household can leave for essential goods, and only once per day. For some people the nearest goods and services will be more than 5km away. In this situation you may travel beyond 5km to the nearest provider. If you are unable to leave home because it would mean leaving a young child or at-risk person at home unattended, then they may accompany you.
• Exercise once a day for up to 1 hour within a 5km radius of your home. Gathering sizes will be limited to 2. If you are unable to leave home because it would mean leaving a young child or at-risk person at home unattended, then they may accompany you.
• For care and health care including accompanying someone for essential medical care if you are a carer, guardian or necessary support person. The 5km limit does not apply to care or caregiving.
• Work. Study at TAFE and university must be done remotely. 

The 5km limit does not apply to work.

From 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August, face coverings will also be mandatory for all of Victoria.

Early Childhood educators are exempt from wearing face masks whilst providing education services to children.

This means you must stay home except for the following four reasons:

• For food and essential supplies
• For study or work
• For care and healthcare
• And for exercise or outdoor recreation

When outside your home, you must wear a face covering.

No visitors are allowed at your home, and you are only allowed to gather with one person from outside your household in public.

From 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August, face coverings will also be mandatory for all of Victoria.

Early Childhood educators are exempt from wearing face masks whilst providing education services to children.

Impact on Early Childhood

Kinders and early childhood centres in metropolitan Melbourne will only be open for vulnerable children and children whose parents are permitted workers.

All parents will need to apply for a worker permit and provide a copy to Ignite Minds to be able to attend care. 

Permits can be obtained here

https://www.justice.vic.gov.au/permitted-worker-scheme

In addition, all permitted workers will need to obtain a childcare permit.  Permits will be published here

https://www.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions-victoria#announcement-on-access-to-childcare-permits

Business as usual.  

Children will have access to an additional 30 days of paid absent days.

Educators will have the option to ‘waive gap fees’ where a child is absent due to Coronavirus reasons.  All families will need to sign a document indicating their awareness of the educators policy on fee waivers.

Assistance provided by Ignite Minds

Following the announcement by Dan Tehan Ignite Minds expects to receive a support payment equivalent to 25% of the parent Gap payment.  This percentage has been calculated from the reference fortnight ending 2nd March 2020.

Using this funding Ignite Minds will top up gap payments to 75% of the full fee charged.  Where families gap payment is less than 25% the educator will not receive any additional top up payment.