2025 WAIRC 00543
Family Day Care Co-Ordinators' and Assistants' Award, 1985

1B. - MINIMUM ADULT AWARD WAGE

(1) No employee aged 21 or more shall be paid less than the minimum adult award wage unless otherwise provided by this clause.

(2) The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $953.00 per week.

The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under awards that provide for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $953.00 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time employee under the award.

The minimum adult award wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(3) The minimum adult award wage is deemed to include all State Wage order adjustments from State Wage Case decisions.

(4) Unless otherwise provided in this clause adults aged 21 or more employed as casuals, part-time employees or piece workers or employees who are remunerated wholly on the basis of payment by results, shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult award wage according to the hours worked.

(5) Employees under the age of 21 shall be paid no less than the wage determined by applying the percentage prescribed in the junior rates provision in this award (if applicable) to the minimum adult award wage, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(6) The minimum adult award wage shall not apply to apprentices, employees engaged on traineeships or government approved work placement programs or employed under the Commonwealth Government Supported Wage System or to other categories of employees who by prescription are paid less than the minimum award rate, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(7) Liberty to apply is reserved in relation to any special category of employees not included here or otherwise in relation to the application of the minimum adult award wage.

(8) Subject to this clause the minimum adult award wage shall –

(a) Apply to all work in ordinary hours.

(b) Apply to the calculation of overtime and all other penalty rates, superannuation, payments during any period of paid leave and for all purposes of this award.

(9) Minimum Adult Award Wage

The rates of pay in this award include the minimum weekly wage for employees aged 21 or more payable under the 2025 State Wage order. Any increase arising from the insertion of the minimum wage will be offset against any equivalent amount in rates of pay received by employees whose wages and conditions of employment are regulated by this award which are above the wage rates prescribed in the award. Such above award payments include wages payable pursuant to enterprise agreements, consent awards or award variations to give effect to enterprise agreements and over award arrangements. Absorption which is contrary to the terms of an agreement is not required.

Increases under previous State Wage Case Principles or under the current Statement of Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset the minimum wage.

(10) Adult Apprentices

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this clause, the minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $791.30 per week.

(b) The minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $791.30 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time apprentice under the award.

(c) The minimum adult apprentice wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(d) Adult apprentices aged 21 years or more employed on a part-time basis shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult apprentice wage according to the hours worked.

(e) The rates paid in the paragraphs above to an apprentice 21 years of age or more are payable on superannuation and during any period of paid leave prescribed by this award.

(f) Where in this award an additional rate is expressed as a percentage, fraction or multiple of the ordinary rate of pay, it shall be calculated upon the rate prescribed in this award for the actual year of apprenticeship.




16. - SALARIES

(1) (a) Resource Employee (Playgroup/Toy library)

The minimum weekly rate payable to persons employed pursuant to this award shall be:


$


Step I
1018.60
Step II
1043.50
Step III
1077.80
Step IV
1086.70
Step V
1111.40
Step VI
1128.30
Step VII
1148.20
Step VIII
1168.00



(i) A Resource Employee who is unqualified shall enter the salary scale on Step I and exit at Step IV.

(ii) A Resource Employee who is qualified and with no previous experience in the industry shall enter at Step IV. At the end of 12 months satisfactory performance, this person shall progress to Step VI and subject to subclause (2) exit the salary scale at Step VIII.

(iii) A Resource Employee who is in their first year of experience as a qualified child care employee and has previous experience in the industry, as defined in placitum (iv) of this paragraph, shall enter the salary scale at Step V and exit at Step VIII.

(iv) “Industry” for the purpose of recognising previous experience in placitum (iii) of this paragraph, shall be those sectors of the children’s services industry that deals predominantly with the 0-6 year old age group.

(v) For the purpose of this paragraph “previous experience” means one year full-time employment or equivalent.

(b) Special Needs Support Employee


$


Step I
1086.70
Step II
1111.40
Step III
1128.30
Step IV
1148.20
Step V
1168.00



(i) A Special Needs Support Employee who is unqualified shall enter the salary scale at Step I and exit at Step IV.

(ii) A Special Needs Support Employee who is qualified shall enter the salary scale at Step II and exit at Step V.

(c) Support Employee


$


Step I
1051.80
Step II
1085.10
Step III
1114.30
Step IV
1140.30
Step V
1148.60
Step VI
1168.00




(i) A Support Employee who is unqualified and undertakes the administration of Child Care Assistance and enrolments shall enter the salary scale at Step I and exit at Step IV.

(ii) A Support Employee who is unqualified and undertakes the administration of Child Care Assistance, enrolments and/or bookkeeping, administration of finances/accounts, shall enter the salary scale at Step II and exit at Step V.

(iii) A Support Employee who holds and is required to use the skills and/or knowledge acquired from an Associate Diploma in Accounting or an equivalent qualification shall enter the salary scale at Step III and exit at Step VI.

(d) Assistant Co-ordinator (Field)


$


Step I
1128.30
Step II
1158.70
Step III
1187.40
Step IV
1222.30
Step V
1255.80
Step VI
1289.00
Step VII
1322.40
Step VIII
1337.90
Step IX
1381.10



(i) An Assistant Co-ordinator who is unqualified shall enter the salary scale at Step I and exit at Step IV.

(ii) An Assistant Co-ordinator who is two year trained, as defined in subclause (4) of this clause, shall enter the salary scale at Step II and exit at Step VI.

(iii) An Assistant Co-ordinator who is three year trained, as defined in subclause (4) of this clause, shall enter the salary scale at Step III and exit at Step VII.

(iv) An Assistant Co-ordinator who is four year trained, as defined in subclause (4) of this clause, shall enter the salary scale at Step V and exit at Step IX.

(e) Scheme Co-ordinator


$


Step I
1298.50
Step II
1337.90
Step III
1381.10
Step IV
1416.30
Step V
1436.60
Step VI
1489.30
Step VII
1528.50



(i) A Scheme Co-ordinator shall be graded in accordance with subclause (5) (c) of clause 17. Classification Definitions and Skill Descriptors.

(ii) A Scheme Co-ordinator Grade One as defined in subclause (5) (c) (i) of clause 17. Classification Definitions and Skill Descriptors, shall progress through the salary scale as follows subject to subclause (2) of this clause:

a Scheme Co-ordinator with 2 or 3 year training, as defined in subclause (4) of this clause, shall enter at Step I and exit at Step IV.

a Scheme Co-ordinator with 4 year training, as defined in subclause (4) of this clause, shall enter at Step III and exit at Step VI.

(iii) A Scheme Co-ordinator Grade Two, as defined in subclause (5)(c)(ii) of clause 17. Classification Definitions and Skill Descriptors, shall progress through the salary scale as follows subject to subclause (2) of this clause:

a Scheme Co-ordinator with 2 or 3 year training, as defined in subclause (4) of this clause, shall enter at Step III and exit at Step VI.

a Scheme Co-ordinator with 4 year training, as defined in subclause (4) of this clause, shall enter at Step IV and exit at Step VII.

(2) Progression from Step to Step for all classifications will be contingent upon:

(a) 12 months service at each Step; and

(b) satisfactory performance at each Step.

(3) The employee and managing body of the Scheme shall be at liberty to negotiate and set a higher rate of salary, bearing in mind the duties and responsibilities or previous experience of the employee. Any agreement to select a higher rate shall be reduced in writing and shall entitle that employee, whilst employed at the Scheme, to the agreed salary level as if this award had expressly provided such an entitlement. Any such agreement may be rescinded only by mutual consent.

(4) “Two year, three year or four year trained status” refers to a tertiary or post secondary qualification in early childhood care or education, which is recognised by the Child Care Services Board, or the Australian Early Childhood Association, to be relevant and applicable for use as a family day care scheme employee.

(5) Where an employee is appointed to act as a Scheme Co-ordinator for more than four days, they shall be paid for the whole of that period as a Scheme Co-ordinator according to their level of qualification or a loading of 10% in addition to their normal salary whichever is greater.

(6) On ceasing employment with an employer, the employee shall be given a written statement of the current classification and Step if appropriate and the date of commencement at the classification and Step to be passed on to the next employer.

(7) It is a condition that no employee shall suffer a reduction in wages by reason of the coming into operation of any order of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission in the implementation of the Minimum Rates Adjustment.

(8) Any employer who experiences financial hardship as a result of the implementation of the Minimum Rates Adjustments may apply to the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission for orders regarding the timing of backpayments.

(9) The rates of pay in this award include arbitrated safety net adjustments available since December 1993, under the Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment Principle.

These arbitrated safety net adjustments may be offset against any equivalent amount in the rate of pay received by employees since 1 November 1991 above the rate prescribed in the Award, except where such absorption is contrary to the terms of an industrial agreement.

Increases in rates of pay otherwise made under the State Wage Case Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset arbitrated safety net adjustments.