Children's Services Award

MA000120 covers employers throughout Australia in the children's services and early childhood education industry, and their employees in the listed classifications. That includes long day care, occasional care, childcare centres, family-based childcare, out-of-school hours and vacation care, kindergartens and preschools. If you run an early childhood education or care service, this is generally the relevant award. Confirm coverage against the award and the Fair Work Ombudsman, as some staff or services may fall under another instrument.

The award has two main streams. The Children's Services Employee stream runs from an introductory educator through educator, qualified educator, experienced and advanced educator, room leader, assistant director and director. A separate Support Worker stream covers non-educator roles such as administration, cooking, cleaning and maintenance, with its own levels. Classify each worker by the duties and qualifications they actually have, then read the current rate from the Fair Work Pay Calculator rather than assuming a figure.

Always take current rates from the Fair Work Pay Calculator or the MA000120 pay guide rather than memory or an old spreadsheet. Rates differ by stream (educator or support worker), by level, and by employment type. They are reviewed annually and rise from the first full pay period on or after 1 July, so any figure has a use-by date. Valont keeps these rates current as part of award-compliant payroll for early childhood services.

Casual employees are paid an hourly rate plus a casual loading, which is commonly 25% across modern awards, in place of the paid leave and other entitlements casuals do not receive. Casuals also have a minimum engagement for each shift and are generally engaged for temporary and relief purposes. Treat 25% as a guide only, and confirm the exact loading, minimum engagement and casual conversion rules for this award from the Fair Work source before running pay.

An educator who is designated to lead the development and implementation of the educational program at the service is entitled to an educational leader allowance, paid as an annual amount on top of their classification rate. It recognises the extra responsibility the role carries under the National Regulations. Make sure the allowance is paid for as long as the educator holds the role, and confirm the current amount from the Fair Work Pay Calculator, as it is reviewed each year.

Employees below a specified classification level who hold a current first aid qualification and are required to administer first aid to children are entitled to a first aid allowance, generally calculated per day (with a separate hourly basis for out-of-school hours care). It is paid on top of the ordinary rate. Identify which staff qualify, and confirm the current allowance amount and the qualifying conditions for this award using the Fair Work source.

Beyond first aid and the educational leader allowance, MA000120 includes a broken shift allowance, an excess fares allowance when an employee is directed to work away from their normal location, a clothing and equipment (uniform and laundry) allowance, an overtime meal allowance for unscheduled overtime, and a per-kilometre vehicle allowance. Because some are paid per day, per shift or per kilometre, they are easy to miss. Identify which apply to each role and confirm current amounts using the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Where staff work on a Saturday or Sunday, the award applies weekend penalties on top of the ordinary rate. As a general guide, weekend penalties across awards commonly run around 25% on Saturday and 50% on Sunday, but the figure that actually applies depends on the employee's classification and employment type. You must confirm what MA000120 provides for the relevant day and worker against the Fair Work source rather than assuming a rate.

Public holiday entitlements flow from the National Employment Standards and the award. As a guide, public holiday work across awards can attract penalties of up to 150%, but the award's own provisions determine what actually applies to a given shift and employment type. Many services close on public holidays, but where staff do work, always verify the public holiday rate, and any entitlement for those who do not work the day, for this award using the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Overtime generally applies to authorised hours worked beyond the ordinary daily or weekly hours - for example, beyond eight hours in a day or 38 hours in a week - with the award setting different overtime rates for the first hours and for hours after that. An overtime meal allowance can also apply to unscheduled overtime beyond a set length. Identify which hours count as overtime for each worker, and confirm the applicable overtime rates for this award via the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Part-time employees work fewer than 38 ordinary hours a week on a reasonably predictable, agreed basis, and the award sets a minimum engagement of a set number of consecutive hours on any shift. Their agreed hours and days should be recorded in writing, and work outside those agreed hours can attract overtime. Confirm the current minimum engagement and the rules for varying agreed hours for this award from the Fair Work source before rostering.

Modern award minimum rates increase following the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review and take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. The 2026 review added 4.75% to modern award minimums. Apply increases from the correct pay period, not the calendar date, and pull the new figures for each classification and allowance from the Fair Work source so your early childhood payroll stays compliant.

The risks with MA000120 sit in the detail: the right stream and level, the educational leader and first aid allowances, broken shift and excess fares allowances, weekend, public holiday and overtime rates, and figures refreshed every July. The safest approach is to anchor every figure to the Fair Work Pay Calculator and review pay each 1 July. Valont runs award-compliant payroll for early childhood and care services, mapping rosters to the correct classifications, allowances and penalties so figures stay current and accurate.

Degree-qualified early childhood teachers are covered by the Teachers Award, not Children's Services.

Most modern awards were re-issued with a 2020 title in the Fair Work Commission's four-yearly review; the Children's Services Award, the Aged Care Award and the SCHADS Award kept their 2010 titles. The year in the title does not mean the rates are old: the instrument is varied each 1 July like every other award.