Affinity Education Group has welcomed the Australian Government’s announcement confirming continued funding to support worker retention payments for early childhood educators, alongside measures to maintain affordability for families and strengthen sector standards.
The funding extension provides certainty for the early learning workforce and reinforces the importance of recognising the essential role educators play in shaping the next generation.
Affinity CEO Glen Hurley said the announcement was a positive step forward for the sector—and validated the approach Affinity had already taken to support its people.
“This is an important moment for early education in Australia,” Mr Hurley said.
“Our educators do incredibly important work every day, and they deserve to be recognised and fairly rewarded for it.”
News of the first Worker Retention Grant was released in August 2024, and Affinity began passing on the wage increases to its people in December 2024—months ahead of receiving government funding—reflecting its commitment to supporting and valuing its workforce.
“We made the decision early to invest in our people because it was the right thing to do,” Mr Hurley said.
“This announcement reinforces that we’re on the right path—building a strong, stable workforce while delivering great outcomes for children and families.”
Under the Government’s framework, providers receiving funding will also commit to responsible fee management and continued focus on safety and quality standards.
Mr Hurley said Affinity was well positioned to meet these expectations.
“We are very comfortable with the expectations that come with this funding around fee increases for families and continuing to invest and strengthen in safety and quality standards across the sector,” he said.
“Those principles sit at the heart of everything we do.”
The announcement is expected to support ongoing workforce stability across the sector, while helping providers continue to invest in high-quality early learning environments.