NSW Floods support and assistance

Stay informed

  • SES - publishes current warnings and provides information and advice about staying safe in a flood.

  • Bureau of Meteorology website - for up-to-date information about the weather in your area.

Government assistance

Streamlined applications and notification processes

If you’ve been impacted by floods and need to temporarily relocate, apply for a waiver or increase maximum number of children in your service, find more information via Get regulatory support webpage.

Services are required to notify the department of any closures, incidents, evacuations, or damage to premises. You can notify through NQAITS by completing the I01: Notification of Incident.

While the regulations require this to be done within 24 hours, services should ensure the safety of children, educators and staff as a first priority.

If you are having issues with accessing NQAITS, please contact our team by phone 1800 619 113 or email ececd@det.nsw.edu.au.

If you have lost paper or electronic records from your service due to the floods and these are not retrievable, please advise us as part of your notification.

Funding arrangements

Payments will continue to be progressed as scheduled for the following programs:

  • Start Strong for community preschools and long day care services

  • Start Strong Free Preschool

  • Mobile Preschools on contract

  • Start Strong Pathways

  • Aboriginal Families as Teachers

  • Ninganah No More.

Australian Government funded services, including those who receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) should contact the Australian Government for further advice and information.

Family support

Early childhood guided learning packages - Families can access the easy-to-use timetabled activities to support continuity of learning for children who are unable to attend their service.

Child care subsidy

During periods of emergency, the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment will declare impacted regions of NSW as a Local Area Emergency for the ECE sector.

If your service is located in a region outlined on their Local Area Emergencies webpage, services and families can access more allowable absences and gap free waivers, and there is emergency support available.

You can find important information about this on their Help in an emergency webpage.

Families that are eligible for the Child Care Subsidy may also be eligible for the Temporary Financial Hardship Subsidy.

Mental health and wellbeing resources

  • Service NSW - offers a range of free mental health support including 24/7 telephone services.
  • Disaster recovery page - access a range of mental health and wellbeing resources for children, educators, families and the community.
  • Emerging Minds Community Trauma Toolkit – offers support for adults and children before, during and after a disaster or traumatic event.

Category:

  • Early childhood education

Business Unit:

  • Early Childhood Outcomes
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