The federal government has announced $300 million for an Early Years Quality Fund in a bid to improve pay conditions for childhood educators.

Labor candidate for Bendigo Lisa Chesters urged local childcare providers to apply for the grants, which will result in $3 per hour increases for Certificate III qualified educators.

Ms Chesters said the fund would help amend policies that had previously undervalued early childhood educators.

She said a greater focus on pay conditions would help centres retain staff and attract more people to the industry.

“It’s about moving entirely away from the outdated view that early childhood educators are babysitters,” she said.

“The early childhood professionals are some of the hardest working people in my community.”

Ms Chesters also said it would be a boost for parents to know staff looking after their children were adequately paid. 

“It’s only fair that working parents have confidence that their child will receive high quality care from well-trained staff,” she said.

Strathfieldsaye resident Shaun Rosaia welcomed the renewed focus on childhood education.

He said he was already looking for potential childcare centres for his baby son and wanted to choose somewhere with highly trained educators.

“The changes that are happening are a step in the right direction,” he said.

“Both my sister and sister-in-law are early-childhood educators. I’ve seen the low wages they’re on. It’s important that we’ve got highly skilled people and that they’re not undervalued.”

BRIT Beginners and Castlemaine Childcare Co-op are two local childcare providers that will benefit from the fund.

Grants open on July 23 and applications will be assessed on an ongoing basis. For more information about the fund, go to www.deewr.gov.au/early-years-quality-fund