Flexible Initiatives Trial
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3 Sep, 2025 - 15 Oct, 2025
NSW
Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund, NSW Department of Education, New South Wales, Australia
Links & Supporting Documents
Grant Description
The Flexible Initiatives Trial (FIT) provides competitive grants to approved early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers in NSW to trial flexible operating models that improve families’ access to care, strengthen workforce participation (particularly for women), and support service capability. Funded through the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund with a total pool of $20,000,000 (excl. GST), FIT covers three pathways: Stream 1A (expansion of eligible preschools to extended-hours care), Stream 1B (establishing new Family Day Care services in inner regional, outer regional, remote and very remote areas), and Stream 2 (establishing or expanding out-of-school-hours care linked to public preschools). Intended beneficiaries are children aged 0–6 (and up to 12 years for Stream 2), their families needing flexible care options, and ECEC services seeking to test new models.