Families to receive $500 vouchers for every primary-school aged child

One group of NSW parents will be able to access $500 vouchers through a new state government scheme. Here are all the details.

NSW parents will be able to access $500 vouchers for every primary school child in a bid to ease the childcare burden.

The $155 million program comes after the state government unveiled a $1 billion economic support package for small and medium-sized businesses on Sunday.

Parents will be able to apply for the school-related vouchers, which will be similar to the Dine and Discover program, through Service NSW from February 28.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the vouchers would give parents options as they return to work and provide a stimulus for out-of-school hours care.

It had once been a highly competitive industry struggling to cope with demand, but out-of-school care businesses are now fighting to stay open after the Covid-19 pandemic stripped back enrolments.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has made an “important announcement” the NSW Government will be giving families $500 vouchers for every primary school child in a bid to ease the childcare burden. Picture Gaye Gerard / NCA Newswire.

The vouchers will cover the parent gap fee for before and after school care services, with the average daily cost of after school care ranging from $20 to $40, while the gap fee is about half.

Mr Perrottet said the vouchers would put downward pressure on family budgets while helping parents balance work and family.

“We know that for parents, this pandemic has been incredibly tough, balancing homeschooling with working and we want to do whatever we can,” he told reporters on Monday.

“We know it’s been a challenge, we know in a modern environment getting up and going to work, getting the kids to school, doing those things can become enormously challenging and difficult.”

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the $500 vouchers would be critical for working families and essential workers who rely on the before and after-school care programs.

“I think this $155 million investment in making before and after school care more affordable for families is really important, and I know it will be welcomed by a lot of working parents,” she said.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Treasurer Matt Kean have unveiled financial support for small business affected by the latest Covid surge. Picture: David Swift

Head of the Outside School Hours Council of Australia (OSHCA), Craig Napier, said enrolments at outside-school-hours care fell to just 12 per cent in October, when classes resumed after the widespread NSW lockdown.

Enrolments at vacation care throughout January also dropped by 40 per cent compared to the previous year.

The vouchers are expected to cover about 60 sessions of before and after-school care.

Meanwhile, the state government on Sunday also revealed its $1 billion economic support package for businesses, which it will fund alone despite asking the commonwealth to contribute.

The new support package targets small and medium businesses that have had at least a 40 per cent downturn over the summer period, covering 20 per cent of their wages bill to a maximum of $5000.

It has been reported the amount of support would have been doubled if the Morrison government had chipped in.

Mr Kean on Sunday took aim at his federal counterparts, saying he was “very disappointed” they had declined the request for assistance.

“I was hoping to make this announcement standing beside Prime Minister (Scott Morrison) today and the Treasurer (Josh) Frydenberg. But they’re not to be found,” he told reporters.

“These are not just NSW businesses, they’re Australian businesses, that pay their taxes to the commonwealth government, that are doing it so tough at this time.”