Children's Services Award pay guide 2026/2027

Casual rates for ordinary weekday hours for educators, generated from the current Fair Work pay guide:

If you only skim one section, make it this one:

• The Children’s Services Award 2010 [MA000120] covers childcare and long day care — educators (Levels 1–8) and support workers.
• Minimums are reviewed each July. The FY2026/27 pay guide took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, lifting all rates by 4.75%.
• Example 2026/27 adult minimum pay (educators):
  • Level 1 (introductory educator): full-time/part-time $28.81/hr, casual $36.01/hr.
  • Level 3 (Certificate III qualified): full-time/part-time $32.47/hr, casual $40.59/hr.
• Penalties: Saturday +50%, Sunday +100%, public holidays +150%; the casual loading is not stacked on weekend/PH penalties.
• Early-morning/afternoon/night shift loadings and broken shifts apply on top.
• Get stream, level, employment type and shift type right for every employee.

The Children’s Services Award covers long day care, preschools/kindergartens (non-teaching staff), outside-school-hours care (OSHC) and vacation care:

• Educators (Levels 1–8): from introductory educators through Certificate III and Diploma-qualified educators to room leaders, assistant directors and directors.
• Support workers: cooks, assistants and other support roles, on a separate scale.

Important — who’s covered by other awards: qualified early-childhood teachers → Teachers Award; council-run childcare may involve the Local Government Award; some out-of-school/community programs may fall under SCHADS. Confirm coverage with Fair Work’s PACT tool.

A snapshot of the current FY2026/27 educator rates, generated from the same data that powers the calculator above. A separate support-worker scale also applies — see the pay guide.

Ordinary weekday rates for educators Levels 1–8:

Casuals receive the same base rate plus a 25% loading on ordinary hours. Ordinary weekday casual rates:

Classification follows qualifications and responsibility:

• Levels 1–2 cover introductory educators and those working towards a Certificate III.
• Level 3 is the Certificate III qualified educator rate; Levels 4–5 experienced and Diploma-qualified educators.
• Levels 6–8 cover room leaders, assistant directors and directors.
• Educator-to-child ratios must be maintained — an unqualified employee required to work in ratio must be paid at least the minimum educator rate.
• Support workers (cooks, assistants) are on a separate scale; qualified teachers are under the Teachers Award.

Write each employee’s stream, level and employment type into your payroll/rostering system. If unsure, confirm the right level.

Children’s Services Award penalties (on the ordinary rate):

• Saturday: 150% (full-time/part-time and casual)
• Sunday: 200% (full-time/part-time and casual)
• Public holiday: 250% (full-time/part-time and casual)
• Casual loading: the 25% loading applies to ordinary hours but is not stacked on top of the weekend/public-holiday penalties, so casual weekend/PH rates equal the permanent rates.
• Shift loadings: early-morning, afternoon and night shifts attract loadings on the ordinary rate.
• Broken shift: about $21.38 per day. Overtime is paid at time-and-a-half then double time.

The calculator above covers ordinary, Saturday, Sunday and public-holiday rates. For shift loadings, broken shifts and overtime, use Fair Work’s PACT tool or award-interpreting software.

• Full-time is around 38 hours per week, ongoing; part-time has a regular agreed pattern.
• Both receive paid annual and personal/carer’s leave (pro-rata for part-time) and other NES entitlements. Part-time hours should be agreed in writing.

• Paid a 25% casual loading on ordinary hours instead of paid leave, with a minimum engagement per shift (commonly 2 hours).
• On weekends and public holidays, the penalty applies without the loading stacked on top — so casual Saturday, Sunday and public-holiday rates equal the permanent rates.

Common allowances under this award include:

• Broken shift – about $21.38 per day.
• First aid (Level 1–2) – about $12.65 per day (or $1.68/hour).
• Excess fares – about $17.22 per day when working away from the usual centre.
• Meal (overtime) – about $16.12.

A director and educational-leader responsibility loading may also apply. Exact amounts update each pay guide — see the Fair Work pay guide.

• Confirm the award and stream (educator vs support worker; qualified teachers are under the Teachers Award).
• Download the latest pay guide (FY2026/27).
• Classify each employee by stream and level; ensure in-ratio staff are paid at least the educator rate.
• Set base rates and apply weekend/public-holiday penalties, shift loadings, broken shifts and overtime.
• Use award-interpreting software so shift loadings are calculated automatically, and keep records for 7 years.

• Educators Levels 1–8 (plus a separate support-worker stream).
• Saturday +50%, Sunday +100%, public holidays +150% — casual loading not stacked on these.
• Qualified teachers are under the Teachers Award, not this award.
• Shift loadings and broken shifts are easy to miss.
• Update every July (and watch for the sector work-value case) and keep good records.

For official guidance, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website.