Working Families
Labor's initiatives for Working Families
Child Care
The Australian Government understands that high quality child care is important for many Australian families. High quality child care plays an important role in improving children's educational and developmental outcomes. Child care also enables parents to participate in the workforce and the broader community. To help you with the cost of your child care, the Australian Government provides the following assistance:
Information for families using child care
Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Child Care fee assistance
The Information for families using child care - fact sheet kit aims to assist families to access the support and services required to make important, and sometimes complex, child care decisions.
This comprehensive set of fact sheet highlight the range of Australian Government services and programs available to families using child care. The fact sheets include information on Child Care Benefit, the Child Care Rebate, Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Child Care fee assistance, Child Care Services Support program; and Child Care Access Hotline.
Education Tax Refund
The Education Tax Refund (ETR) is a Rudd Government initiative to help with the cost of educating primary and secondary school children. It means eligible parents, carers, legal guardians and independent students could get 50% back on some education expenses. This includes items like computers, educational software, textbooks and stationery.
For more information: Education Tax Refund Fact Sheet
Medicare Teen Dental Plan
On 1 July 2008 the Australian Government introduced the Medicare Teen Dental Plan to help with the cost of an annual dental preventative check, for eligible teenagers aged between 12 and 17.
The program aims to make it more affordable for families to keep their teenager’s teeth in good health.
For more information: Medicare Teen Dental Plan pdf Brochure
Paid Parental Leave
The Rudd Government’s Paid Parental Leave Scheme is a historic reform for Australia and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to support working families. Our scheme will provide paid leave for 18 weeks at the rate of the federal minimum wage to working mothers and other primary carers whose child is born on or after 1 January 2011. Legislation for the scheme will introduced into the Parliament shortly.
For more information: Paid Parental Leave
Helpful links for familes
Office of Early Childhood Education and Child Care
Department of Family & Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
The Australian Parenting Website
Early Literacy Resources for the First Five Years
Families NSW