As many of you are likely aware, the Fairwork Commission have released a final determination for their gender-based undervaluation priority award review.
The resulting determination will see significant changes take place within the Children's Services Award (2010) to award classifications and wages, beginning from 1 March 2026.
Below, we will outline the implications of the determination, how it may impact your ECEC service & how you can best action the impending changes.
- The first set of changes will take place on 1 March 2026*
- There will be a new, simplified classification structure. Employees under the CSA will be categorised under one of the 8 core classifications once the changes commence.
- Staged wage increases will take place, determined by an employees relevant award classification.
- *The timing of the changes will apply differently depending on what workplace instrument you are currently utilising (IFA vs MEA/EA).
- If you are utilising an IFA - changes will be applicable to your service from 1 March 2026 and you should continue reading to understand how to proceed.
- If you are covered by the MEA or an EA - the changes to award classifications and rates will not apply to your service until your agreements nominal expiry date. You do not need to take action until this time.
A core part of the FWC's final determination has been the decision to streamline award classifications into 8 key levels for Children's Services Employees (CSEs). This new classification structure will be in force from 1 March 2026.
The changes will not impact an employees actual role or duty - it is simply simplifying the currently complex classification structure in the CSA, reducing the applicable classifications from 38 to 8.
Please note there will be no change in classification for employees that are currently classified as a Support Worker under the CSA.
The new position descriptions for Children's Services Employees (CSEs) can be viewed here, as well as the translations for classifications.
We will be releasing a matrix tool soon which will further outline how the award classifications will be translated, to assist with understanding employees new classifications.
A portion of the previous WRP uplift will be absorbed into the increased award base rate, with the remaining amount still funded by WRP. The employee’s total hourly rate will remain unchanged.
For WRP services in this initial stage, only the split between award and WRP components will change
We will be releasing resources soon to help further with your gender-based undervaluation enquiries. For now, our resources are as below:
