Early childhood education and care providers have specific legal obligations. These obligations are imposed upon certain people. We call these people ‘persons with management or control of the provider’. They are also called ‘persons with management or control’ or simply ‘PMC’.
On this page:
What is a person with management or control?
PMCs take part in the decision-making or management of the provider. They:
- are a member of the group that makes executive or legal decisions on behalf of the provider
- have authority, responsibility, or significant influence over planning, directing or controlling the provider
- are in charge of the day-to-day operations of the provider
- are in charge of the day-to-day operations of a service.
The provider is the legal entity.
Who is a person with management or control?
Broadly, PMCs can be:
- executive officers
- board members
- company office holders
- partners in a partnership
- members of the body corporate
- partners or members of the organisation's governing body
- service directors
- service managers
- authorised supervisors
- people from external management agencies
- people in management positions
- Anyone listed as a ‘responsible person’ on behalf of a registered charity.
Any person who performs these roles for a provider is automatically considered a PMC. You cannot choose to omit someone as a PMC if they perform these roles.
They can be different for each organisation type. Check this table for PMCs in different organisation types.
What is a person responsible for the day-to-day operation of a service?
Providers must also identify persons responsible for the day-to-day operation of a service. We call these people ‘persons responsible at the service’. They are nominated by a PMC.
Who is a person responsible for the day-to-day operation of a service?
They work in the service, taking part in the decision-making and daily operations at the service. They are commonly managers, directors or coordinators.
Broadly, persons responsible at the service can be:
- service directors
- service managers
- coordinators.
Persons responsible at the service can be from external management agencies.
A person responsible at the service has similar obligations to a PMC, but at the service level.
Check notification and reporting for obligations a person responsible at the service must complete.
What are their obligations?
All approved providers must have their PMCs identified in the Child Care Subsidy System (CCSS).
Each PMC must:
- have an individual PRODA account
- be linked to the provider in CCSS
- keep their information up to date and correct in CCSS
- notify the department when they join or leave an approved provider or service
- be considered fit and proper by us
- have all necessary background checks
- provide evidence of background checks to the department when asked.
Additionally, PMCs have a range of obligations and tasks they must perform.
Check notification and reporting for obligations a PMC must complete.
Why are these obligations necessary?
Approved providers receive significant amounts of public money in the form of CCS payments.
We have a responsibility to ensure early childhood education and care is delivered correctly, by responsible and law-abiding people.
Also, if PMC information is not correct in the CCSS:
- we cannot contact you
- we cannot communicate essential information to you
- families may not get their CCS payments
- we may take regulatory action, including issuing an infringement.
If you no longer have any current PMCs listed for your provider, you must email CCSassessments@education.gov.au. The process to correct this is not immediate. You will need to provide information and evidence. We expect providers to keep PMC details up to date at all times.
Can the role of PMC be delegated?
Yes. However, if a person fills a role identified in this table, they are a PMC regardless.
Some providers have formal delegations. They establish these through:
- governance rules
- constitutions, or
- acts of parliament.
Example: A regional manager for a large provider. While the directors of the company are taken to be PMCs, the regional manager is also a PMC. This is because they make executive decisions of behalf of the provider.
Example: A general manager in charge of the community services branch of a local council. This person is a PMC because they make decisions about the child care service without approval from a higher authority. Some of the general manager’s responsibilities – like decisions about major spending – are delegated to subordinate officers. These officers are also considered PMCs.
What is a service contact?
Some PMCs choose to nominate a service contact. The service contact is authorised to communicate with us on administrative matters, like:
- service payments
- family payments.
Service contacts:
- may only communicate with us on matters relating to the service for which they are the contact
- must be registered in PRODA so that they can be linked to their service in the CCSS.
It’s not mandatory to have a service contact.
Online learning
Complete the Persons with management or control course in Geccko to learn more.