The complete reference to the Children's Services Award MA000120 for long day care, preschools, kindergartens and outside-school-hours care providers — coverage, classifications, penalty rates, allowances, minimum engagement and Fair Work compliance.
The Children's Services Award (MA000120) sets minimum pay by classification, starting at $26.44/hour full-time (Support worker level 1.1 on commencement (support worker)). Saturdays pay 150% (full/part-time) or 175% (casual); Sundays 200% (full/part-time) or 225% (casual); public holidays 250% (full/part-time) or 275% (casual). Casual percentages already include the 25% casual loading. Figures current as at 1 July 2026, sourced from the Fair Work Ombudsman Pay Guide — full tables below, or ask Fitz for the exact rate for your classification and shift.
Page updated 21 October 2026: added Christmas and New Year public holiday rates and the 2026–27 change timeline. Rates current as at 1 July 2026.
The Children's Services Award MA000120 covers long day care, preschools and kindergartens, outside-school-hours care, and other children’s services. Getting coverage right matters — it drives the classification structure, penalty rates, and allowances that apply to every shift. Applying the wrong award creates systematic underpayment exposure.
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Current classification rates, penalties and allowances from the FWO Pay Guide.
How Fitz compares for childcare services on the Children's Services Award.
What to look for in HR & compliance software for childcare services — and how Fitz compares.
What award interpretation software does, and how Fitz HR applies the Children's Services Award before the roster is published, not after payroll runs.
Penalty rates under MA000120 for weekend and public holiday work, as a percentage of the ordinary hourly rate:
| When worked | % of ordinary rate |
|---|---|
| Saturday (FT/PT) | 150% |
| Saturday (casual) | 175% |
| Sunday (FT/PT) | 200% |
| Sunday (casual) | 225% |
| Public holiday (FT/PT) | 250% |
| Public holiday (casual) | 275% |
Casual employees receive a 25% loading; the casual penalty percentages above are all-inclusive of that loading, not stacked on top.
A sample of the full-time minimum rates. See the Children's Services Award pay rates page for the full table, streams and casual rates.
| Classification (full-time) | Hourly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|
| Support worker level 1.1 on commencement (support worker) | $26.44 | $1004.90 |
| Support worker level 2.1 on commencement (support worker) | $26.93 | $1023.40 |
| Support worker level 2.2 after 1 year (support worker) | $27.82 | $1057.00 |
| Support worker level 3.1 on commencement (support worker) | $29.45 | $1119.10 |
| Level 1 - Introductory educator (childrens services employee) | $28.81 | $1094.80 |
| Level 2 - Educator (childrens services employee) | $29.69 | $1128.40 |
| Level 3 - Qualified educator (childrens services employee) | $32.47 | $1233.90 |
| Level 4 - Experienced educator (childrens services employee) | $34.65 | $1316.70 |
| Level 5 - Advanced educator (childrens services employee) | $36.57 | $1389.50 |
| Level 6 - Room leader (childrens services employee) | $38.25 | $1453.50 |
| Level 7 - Assistant director (childrens services employee) | $40.00 | $1519.90 |
| Level 8 - Director (childrens services employee) | $46.12 | $1752.70 |
The Children's Services Award sets a minimum period an employee must be paid for each time they are engaged:
| Allowance | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Broken shift allowance | $21.38 | per day |
| Excess fares allowance (working away from usual workplace) | $17.22 | per day |
| First aid allowance (Level 1/2, not in out-of-school-hours care) | $12.65 | per day |
| First aid allowance (Level 1/2, in out-of-school-hours care) | $1.68 | per hour |
| Meal allowance (overtime) | $16.12 | per occasion |
| Laundry & ironing allowance (full-time employees) | $9.74 | per week |
| Laundry & ironing allowance (part-time or casual employees) | $1.95 | per day |
| Laundry allowance, no ironing (full-time employees) | $6.14 | per week |
Operating under MA000120 creates obligations beyond paying the correct rate:
See the Fair Work compliance pillar guide and how Fitz HR compares with Employment Hero.
The summer public holidays are where Children's Services Award payroll errors cluster, because the public holiday penalty is the largest multiplier in the award and Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year, which brings substitute-day rules into play. For a Support worker level 1.1 on commencement (support worker) employee on the current minimum of $26.44 an hour:
| Hour worked | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary Monday–Friday hour | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Public holiday hour (250% / 275% casual) | $66.10 | $72.71 |
The same multiplier applies at every classification level, so take the level’s ordinary rate from the table above and multiply. The casual public holiday percentage already includes the 25% casual loading; do not add it again. The national public holidays in the period are:
Each state and territory gazettes its own list, including part-day holidays such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve in some jurisdictions, so check your state’s list before the roster is published. The penalty applies to hours worked on the gazetted day; where a substitute day is declared, the award sets out which day attracts the penalty, and that is a question worth asking Fitz before the pay run rather than after.
The rates on this page took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, following the Fair Work Commission’s 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase, and apply for the 2026–27 financial year. The next Annual Wage Review decision is expected in June 2027 and takes effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2027. Superannuation guarantee is 12%. Nothing else is scheduled to change the Children's Services Award minimum rates before then; if the Commission varies the award mid-year, the rates alert below will tell you.
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