Parents will not have to pay childcare fees if centres close because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the sector is warning government funding would fall short in the event of widespread shutdowns.

Representatives from the sector wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and federal Education Minister Dan Tehan on Tuesday calling for a package of support to help services stay open.

The childcare sector is "well and truly worried" about the prospect of a coronavirus shutdown.

In a statement on Friday, Mr Tehan said the government was working with the sector and state and territory governments on contingency plans. The Education Department released a fact sheet that stated if centres closed they could not claim Child Care Subsidy and "as child care cannot be offered, families must not be charged fees".

This overrides individual childcare agreements that often have clauses allowing centres to charge during times they are closed, such as public holidays.