My understanding is that the cadet expansion program has been ended & no new CCFs in state schools are being funded.
Existing ones that are beyond their five years & unsustainable are being closed.
The SSI grant (a bonus top up to the SSI wage) is also being discontinued.
So it’s the SSI grant - introduced during covid to support the SSI (but not meant to be used for base wage - more for overtime & extra activities)
Some schools have probable been using it inappropriately hence the panic now.
As far as I know that was CEP only - I don’t believe we were offered it. (Understandably.)
Was that the funding provided to help SSIs who were not able to claim activity based VA during the lockdowns?
I believe so yes. Most legacy CCFs will employ their SSI on other duties anyway, but quite a few CEP SSIs are shared between schools but need the VA to make it viable.