A Logan family day care operator says she is in danger of closing her doors because of a gap in the federal government's childcare package payments to day care owners.
Kylie Hunt, who owns and runs New Beith Family Day Care, is concerned businesses like hers will fall through the cracks in the new arrangements announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Ms Hunt fears she will lose up to 50 per cent of her income because of the way the payment is calculated.
The government has offered free child care in a move it says will help parents and the sector.
But Ms Hunt said operators like her would lose out as they were forced to offer services then wait to be reimbursed by the government's business continuity payment.
The government figure was calculated over standard hours, at a capped rate. Family day care providers, who typically operated out of hours, would lose even more.
Ms Hunt said she would lose three per cent just by opening at 7.30am instead of 8am.
Ms Hunt, who has eight children on her books, said she might not quality for the $1500 JobKeeper payment to cover the gap.
"To qualify for JobKeeper you have to have a 30 per cent drop in revenue at the comparative time last year," she said. "It's a complete mess."
She said closing was not an option.
"It's hurting us, but we can't close," Ms Hunt said. "If we shut our doors, we get nothing. If we don't work, we don't get paid, because we are sole traders."
Forde MP Bert van Manen urged providers like Ms Hunt to contact authorities if they thought they were worse off.
"Services who do not believe the current package provides the support necessary are able to apply for exceptional circumstances funding, the details of which are available at dese.gov.au," he said.
Ms Hunt said JobKeeper payment details were still being worked out, and could determine whether the business survived.
"I've discussed this with my husband, and if the JobKeeper comes through, I'll plough on at a loss," she said.
"The emotional stress is scary, and could be crippling. Most of us haven't slept, most of us haven't eaten."
Wright MP Scott Buchholz said the program aimed to support all providers.
The childcare relief package is an important measure to support the viability of the entire childcare sector," he said.
"We saw in Logan, Logan country and the Scenic Rim, parents and carers withdrawing their children and cancelling placements as a result of the coronavirus, and that was a direct threat to the viability of the childcare sector."
