There has been a lot of chatter about the state of child care in Australia recently. How much it costs, how much childcare workers are getting paid, should nannies be a tax deduction, how much the rebates help … how do we keep it affordable. The list goes on. And on.
Well, the Australian Government knows who to ask and that’s Mamamia readers.
We’ve run news updates, posts and watched comment threads unfold as you discuss child care options and what works – and doesn’t work – for your family. Many Mamamia readers work in the industry and know firsthand what it’s like.
The Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Child Care Minister Kate Ellis came to Mamamia HQ last week to have that same conversation with you, answering your questions and replying to your comments live right here.
Ms Gillard told journalists
“I want to make sure that when we’re giving families extra support that that is making a difference to child care affordability for them,” she said.
The PM is in Sydney for a child care summit, talking directly to child care workers and unions to nail down policy details.
Ms Gillard said Labor had tripled the investment in childcare – to more than $22 billion – and had increased the child care tax rebate from 30 per cent to 50 per cent.
Now, she’s not looking for Dorothy Dixers or easy questions to answer. It’s up to you to ask the questions you need answered (politely, of course)! Tell the PM or Kate Ellis what it’s like for you. How could you be helped?
The PM was online last week however Kate Ellis will be coming back to answer your questions over the next few days.
So make sure you come back to get involved!
Fire away: what is child care like for you at the moment? How could you be helped? What isn’t working? What’s it like working in the industry? Do you have anything to do with the industry and want to share your thoughts?
NB: Remember, your experience counts. If you have something to say about balancing child care and work, let us know. But our usual comment rules apply. Stick to the topic. Keep your comments civil and polite. We can disagree as much as we like, but rude comments will be removed.
Comments
724 Comments so far
Hello Prime Minister and Kate
First, I think it’s wonderful that you’re opening up a direct line of communication with Mamamia readers this morning!
Here’s my question and I apologise in advance to everyone on here if it’s naive …
Last year I started my daughter Ava in childcare in Adelaide … initially just 1/2 a day per week. She now goes 2.5 days a week while I work from home. It’s a lovely centre attached to a main kindergarten but it only operates Monday to Thursday from 9am-3pm (which suits me down to the ground).
It didn’t occur to me when I started her there to ask about the rebate as I was more concerned about finding a place where I felt Ava would be comfortable.
I have since asked the centre about the rebate and they have told me they’re not eligible.
My question is: if childcare waiting lists are such an issue, wouldn’t it make more sense to also offer rebates at these smaller centres to help ease the pressure? Also, what makes a childcare centre eligible for the rebate? (Just so I know for next time!)
Thank you!
Bec
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OMG Bec it never would have occurred to me to ask if my place was eligible for hte rebate. I thought they all were! Learn something new every day.
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Thank God. I thought it was just me who didn’t know that!
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Bec it is because the Commonwealth government is responsible for childcare and state and territory governments are responsible for education which includes preschools and kindergartens. Therefore only Australian Government Approved Child Care Centres are eligible for CCB and CCR.
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Thanks Lisa. But then I think, if you’re a childcare centre shouldn’t you be approved by the federal government? Couldn’t that just be mandatory?
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Bec the key criteria for eligibility is hours of operation and minimum days of operation. There are over 14,000 services eligible around the country. Centres that don’t meet the usual criteria – like yours – can apply for a special exemption. Info about eligible services is available on My Child – http://www.mychild.gov.au
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Thank you!! (Make sure you eat one of Lana’s cupcakes before you leave the MM office! She’s an amazing cook)
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I am a single parent and work in Childcare I have to have my son in care while I work. Childcare is already very expencive for me and the wage I get does not really add up with what I have to pay, I work all week and still have no money to save. With the work load I have it is really hard to get all the paper work done in the time I am given at work and end up having to take it home to keep it up to date.
My Question is: Is it fare that so many dedicated childcare profesionals give so much of their time and energy for our presious children without getting much back execpt for the happieness of their children they care for?
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I am a male who has been working in the childcare industry for just over 9 years now and have recently been contemplating leaving due to a lack of pay. This year I started studying psychology at uni part time while continuing to work 4 days a week in childcare and I am barely scraping by, each week is a struggle. I love my job and am passionate about guiding young childrens development, I truly believe early childhood workers that put the effort in make a huge difference in childrens lives. The unfortunate reality is that a lot of good workers get fed up by the low pay and look elsewhere for work. I’ve personally seen it happen numerous times and as mentioned am considering leaving the industry myself.
After nearly 4 years of study to get my certificate and diploma it is a bit of a slap in the face when I discover friends and family members around me are earning more money in untrained jobs with less responsibility. If I was smart I would quit childcare and go work stacking shelves in woolworths to get through uni – the pay would be more and the job would be much easier, but I’m thinking with my heart and my emotions – I care about my job and I care about the children in my care. I feel it is extremely unfortunate and sad that the pay we receive in childcare does not reflect our commitment.
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So true and so sad to hear we may lose another dedicated Educator but totally understand.
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To those complaining and think they are ‘entitled’ to more, let’s put this into perspective.
We are amongst the highest earners in the world, you live in a safe, pretty nation. We are well fed. Complete strangers will look after your children, change their nappies, feed them, read to them, keep them safe, stroke them as they go to sleep (yes I know this cause my 4 yo demands I do the same!). Yes you have to pay for this. However (as I only found out last night), the Govt gives you back 50 freaking percent of your costs! It does not get much better than the life you have here. That has been proven time and time again. We got it good people. Enough with the whiny ‘battler’ mentality.
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How very sad that you feel this way. These are the country’s children we are helping to raise and you think we’re worth as little as we are paid? Why is it ok to think we should be greatful for the small amount we receive when we are raising the future prime minister or the future scientist who will discover the cure for cancer? We are the first contact, after families where a child learns to interact with society, the most important first step in a persons life. Without this skill, nothing else will matter as they will never have the skills to take a chance. Please understand that we are not winging to be paid more for the sake of it, we really do work exceptionally hard for the wage earn and only want to be paid a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work. Surely this isn’t too much to ask?
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Guest, I think you missed the point of Son’s comment. He wasn’t referring to childcare workers or their wages, except to praise the work they do. He was talking about parents whinging about childcare costs, when the government already offers a large rebate.
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Morning PM, my question is about the JET program. My daughter is a single parent attending uni. Her child care fees are subsidized through the JET program. As you would be aware this program is the single biggest contributor to allowing her to stay at uni because her child care fees are heavily subsidized while she studies. The problem is that JET only lasts for two years and her course is 4 years. At the end of this year she will need to stop studying. Can JET be changed so that it applies for the life of the course rather than in years? I get that there are some policy issues around balancing accessibility and cost and it would require good compliance, but it seems strange that her assistance will stop before her study does. Thanks Deb. ps, keep up the good work.
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Deborah – JET is a great program and I’m really proud of it. I was the Minister who increased it to 2 years It’s been a huge success and now we have 130,000 families getting support over the next 4 years. We have made a decision to help more families for 2 years rather than less families for longer. After the 2 years your daughter will still be able to get the child care rebate and benefit.
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HELP! HELP! HELP! I can not live on my wage! I am a Level IV – it took me 4 years of study to achieve my diploma. I work 40 hours a week at a local Centre in Canberra – I get $23.00 an hour – above award wages and Miss Gillard I can not afford to pay Canberra rents so I still am living in my Parents home. We have been told to consider ourselves as Educators – so why are we being paid as unskilled workers? Parents complain they cant afford the costs associated with Childcare – I tell them at least you earn a decent wage! Why cant the Federal Government step in and fund Centres at the same rate per student as Schools receive? Then Centres would have the money they need to not only pay their Educators a decent wage but lower their fees too! It’s past time for the Federal Government to see and FIX the crisis in our sector!
I will lead the WALK OUT being planned by Childcare Educators – we are sick and tired of working long hours both at work and after to comply with the new standards without being financially compensated! I think you should “walk a month in our shoes”, doing our job and expected record keeping for the pay we receive and see how it feels to live on our wages! You would quit after a week — OUR CONDITIONS ARE IMPOSSIBLE and we are counting on you to FIX THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY!
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Have I read your statement right? $23 an hour, 40 hour week is $48K a year.
That’s not a bad salary and stock standard 8 hour day. A beginner teacher in the ACT gets $55K and would do many many more hours.
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I do not know any childcare worker that does a stock 8 hour day, we have more responsibility than teachers, we don’t get holidays, we don’t get non-contact time, we have more regulations to follow and more children to look after – not just educate but care for as well. The most you can earn in childcare as a director is $51K and that is with a Bachelor qualification. How bout you try doing our job and see if you think we have it easy!!!!
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If you check, Monica says she works forty hours a week and says that too many. I wasn’t having a go, I was asking for clarification.
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The 40 hr is what she gets paid for but she says she has to regularly take work home! You have stated that teachers do many many more hours – this is not true! You do not have enough understanding of the industry to make negative judgements on the hard workers in childcare
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Sheesh. I asked a question. Please think about your manners.
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In Monica’s defence, I know people who get $25 an hour for full time bar work… a tough job but very little training is required.
I’d probably be a bit miffed too if I studied for 4 years and still couldn’t earn more than an 18 year old bar tender…
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It’s about the same as I pay the unskilled adult-aged employees in my fast food takeaway shop.
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I am a work from home, study from home, stay at home mum. My husband and I earn a decent living, yet in order to afford day care 2 days a week for our 3 1/2 year old we get, The Child Care Benefit, the child care rebate, family tax benefit A and Family tax benefit B – all of which we recieve through centrelink, with it’s attending administrative costs – surely if we paid less tax per week on our own income these extra payments would not be necessary.
I am certainly not advocating getting rid of welfare payments – I firmly believe that there are people out there who truely need them to survive. However, wouldn’t it be easier for many of us to not have to deal with centrelink at all.
My question is this – would it be possible to negate centrelink payments to the middle class by reducing weekly tax paid by those families?
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I am in my final year of studying to be a teacher and am on prac at the moment. I get to school at 8ish and leave just after 5. This is, from my experiences on prac, pretty standard for a teacher. The children are there from 9-3 so there is about 2 1/2 hours each day outside of allocated release time to plan. As a level 4 in Childcare, you are given approximately 2 hours programming a week and no time outside of that without the children. You also are usually entitled to 4 weeks of holidays and maybe an RDO a month if you’re lucky. As a teacher you get 11 weeks (1 week of pds is usually in Christmas holidays). I am studying to teach because the Childcare industry has people like you who seem to think that Childcare is an easier form of teaching. It’s not! If you work as a teacher for 5 years, your pay also increases dramatically. I can imagine Monica’s pay would remain relative to inflation. Think before you speak man! I have seen both sides. Both teaching and Childcare are hard. I’d rather be a teacher any day.
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Sadly, childcare workers have been on the edge of society as far as wages for far too long. It’s because the sector is filled with people who are truly dedicated to supporting Australian families and genuinely have a love of children and want to see them have the best experiences in life.
I’ve worked in the nanny sector for 20 odd years. I am grateful that the government is now looking at the childcare sector as a whole – when considering the nanny industry, I hope it’s done with some commonsense. Tax deductions will not ease the burden – but a scheme similar to the PORSE network in NZ would (it’s like the In Home Care scheme here – but with funding which actually allows for carers to have more supervised interaction).
Also – before anything is done – the first thing that needs to change is to bring nannies legitimately onto the ‘tax books’ by changing the anomoly in the Superannuation laws, that sees nannies working less than 30 hours per week – NOT ENTITLED TO SUPERANNUATION!! We are classed as domestic service workers. Many nannies work part time – which means their main super earning years are not generating savings for their retirement years.
If anyone from the government is actually monitoring this thread – please look back to when Keating first introduced the Child Care Rebate – back then parents could claim on nannies who were registered with them. It saw an increase in the number of nannies being paid tax (confirmed by the ATO’s Cash Economy Task Force) and also meant many nannies were paid Superannuation and Sick Leave too!
When the CCR was culled – nannies dropped back into the cash economy. This really helps no-one.
Thanks Mamma Mia for giving us the chance to be heard
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The main problem with rebates, subsidies, etc is that they go straight to the vendor (i.e. childcare operators). They do not help the buyer. Vendors simply raise their prices to obtain the government largess (see the home buyers schemes). It’s a simple fact of microeconomics. Increasing supply is the only way to lower prices and limiting supply in childcare by suddenly changing educational qualification requirements is a guaranteed way to raise prices. What will the government do about that?
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It doesn’t work like that, childcare is not a commodity like shoes or mobile phones. Too much competition results in Centres running under capacity, but having the same overheads, needing to pay wages, meeting the same regulations. So either they put up fees to cover costs, or they underpay and overwork ( and lose) workers, or like ABC did, they trade insolvent and go bust. None of this is fair to children, who only get one childhood, or ther parents, who want the best for their children at a price they can afford.
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I want an increase in pay and improvement in working conditions (more manageable workload) for childcare workers to ensure that the best staff possible are looking after my children and to minimise the high staff turnover. I would also prefer the education rebate was spent on further subsidies to childcare. Childcare fees should be capped to ensure centres don’t increase fees if rebates increase.
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Am I ever going to earn enough as a childcare worker to buy my own house?
As an educator how are we going to to ensure quality education when we do not receive quality wages. You and your government want the bar raised by introducing the NQS so prehaps you should look at wages too.
Julia, although you do not have children are you aware that the first 5 years of a childs life is the most important and what they learn in those will affect their results in their further eduction.
At present wages I question how many will stay in the industry for the next 5 years. I can say very few. Time to wake up and pay childcare educators what they deserve!!!
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Why do childhood educators have to be teachers, nurses and upskill in our own time when we are only getting paid very little for the work we do?
It is rather disappointing and not fair!
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Could you please explain why mothers who do not work and stay at home full time on government benifits get childcare for next to nothing? The mothers & families who are out working full time and are the ones that need the child care services get a next to nothing child care benifit because we earn too much? We don’t earn anymore than a stay home mum and goverment benifits when most of our pay goes to paying for child care. Don’t you think the systme is back to front???
Somthing for the government to think about?
Thank you
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It’s not next to nothing if you’re not doing anything by a long shot. And if you do need care occasionally for your kids, it’s not that cheap. And despite what you may believe, parents on welfare aren’t getting an embarrassment of riches from the government.
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If you get no childcare benefit because you earn too much, then you are earning a lot more money than a parent at home on Centrelink benefits. I am currently on unpaid leave to study, our family’s income is over $100K and we still get childcare benefit. To try to say a family like mine is in the same financial predicament as people living on Centrelink benefits is ludicrous.
Sometimes there are good reasons why children are given places in childcare centres when their families aren’t ‘working’. Children at risk are one of the top priorities for childcare placements and I wouldn’t want to deny them a place where they could be safe and get the opportunity to socialise, and their parents get some respite, just because their parents aren’t ‘working’.
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We don’t get it for next to nothing. A family with one working parent is entitled to 24 hours (I think?) CCB, which equates to 2 days per week at a discounted rate.
We had our son in childcare when he was 3, for 1 day a week. However, because we still couldn’t afford 2 days at this rate, we’ve moved him to a traditional preschool this year, and I think he really does benefit from the extra day, especially in the lead-up to primary school next year. It has done wonders for him, in lots of ways!
I agree that working parents do need childcare, and affordable childcare, but don’t forget how much the child of a SAHM can benefit from a day or so in a different environment. It gives them a chance to learn, to socialise (or learn to do so), and to prepare for primary school.
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You actually need to meet the work, study, training test to get the CCR (or exceptional circumstances). So if you are really sitting at home and doing nothing, then you can’t get the rebates. Yes, I have heard of some people exploiting this, but I would hope that they are in the minority.
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Stop ignoring the very people that strive to make Childcare work for everyone – THE EDUCATORS! We need a significant raise – we can no longer be expected to hold Diplomas but be paid as UNSKILLED WORKERS at less than a LIVING WAGE!!!!! Our pay scale IS A JOKE!!! HOW WILL YOUR GOVERNMENT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE! WE ARE SICK OF THE “TALK_TALK_TALK” WITH NO ACTION! I THINK WE SHOULD ALL JUST WALK OFF OUR JOBS AND THEN YOU WILL SEE HOW CHILDCARE CENTRES AND THE GREAT WOMEN/MEN THAT WORK IN THEM HOLD UP AUSTRALIA – WITHOUT US THE COUNTRY WOULD SHUT DOWN!!! STOP IGNORING US!!!!!!! WE DESERVE A WAGE THAT IS EQUAL TO ANY TEACHER!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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While I think you have a very legitimate concern, do you have any idea how rude you have come across here? I don’t mean to single you out, but I think it is this attitude that is the problem with the political debate in this country at the moment. Whatever happened to polite disagreement? I depair of the future of our country, if we can’t express different opinions without awful rudeness.
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I’ve been polite, presented reasoned arguments, attended government “fact finding” talkfests for 30 years now, and you know, I’m still earning peanuts. So maybe we will have to stop being so nice and meek and make a bit more noise (like the nurses did – people still give them a high approval rating)
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I am an Early Childhood Teacher with a Degree of Early Childhood Teaching.When I graduated I was on the same pay as a Primary Teacher .I have the same qualifications and I elected to work in preschool education in the Community Sector as there were limited DET preschools at the time. I have been teaching for 25 years in this sector.I have seen my wage level drop by at least 18’000 per annum and that does include the difference with being the Director of the preschool. My greatest concern is that we cannot get Early Childhood Teachers to take on positions.They all go to to the school system where they are recognised as Teachers.. I am not even considered a teacher in the DET Teacher,s approval numbers! I work every night for 3 to 4 hours completing programmed and portfolios.i believe that when you have quality staff in early childhood that can address developmental levels then you have less problems with children in the future. This is actually less money sent in later life. If you get the foundations right then many difficulties are overcome.Our Industry needs help.
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Lyn, I just wanted to say thanks for all your hard work over the years. As a mum of four kids and working as a nanny for the time you have been in Preschools, I agree the pay system for those working with children is a little crazy – but I must say – I am grateful that you are there
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Lyn, This is so unfair – you have done the same training as teachers in primary school teachers but because you teach younger children you get paid so much less. How is this fair? Don’t our children learn more in their earliest years?
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Dear Prime Minister Gillard and Kate Ellis- I have been working in the industry for over 20 years and I have witnessed my colleages one by one leaving our industry over the last couple of years. Due to unregulated training organisations providing training for our industry we have staff coming into our industry that are merely a body. They lack the knowledge and understanding to implement high quality programs not to mention the NQF and EYLF which was implemented to fix the problems in our industry which it has not and the crisis continue to grow. I have taken on a management job in my industry as my previous Director’s wage doesn’t help to pay the bills, go for a holiday, buy new clothes, buy a house which most early childhood educators struggle with each day. I am responsible for over 30 educators a day and I see them struggle with the extra responsibilies that have been put onto them due to the NQF and EYLF not to mention the demanding responsibilities of working with children. This issue is not new, the wages are not enough to keep our dedication, experienced educators in the industry and the only people that are suffering are the children and our educators. I wish to stay in this industry that I am passionate about but if things don’t change I may be another educator that leaves our industry and be replaced by a body. Please help me and other educators to be paid the wages that fit our job descriptions and our responsibility. To the fix the problem you need to look at the educator’s wages and not just CCB for families. We need to be recognised and respected for the important work that we do. It is time for the government to respect us and acknowlege the important work that we do. You have the power to stop the next eductor leaving our industry. Regards Dedicated Educator.
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I work as a coordinator at a family day care scheme. I have to be diploma qualified and need to know about the new framework, law and regulations. As coordinator I am going into educators houses and making sure that they get the support they need to offer high quality care for children. I am basically a traveling director. Under the award I get paid less than a group leader in a centre, who only need to be studying, ad a lot less than FDC educators who need a cert 3. Please dont forget us when it comes to high quality care.
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It has been documented in the EYLF that the first 5 years are vital to a child’s learning and well being. We as educators are shaping the future generations of young Australians. I’ve been in the industry for 8 years now and it’s such a shame that I’ve had to take on a second job to pay the bills. Childcare is not a 9-5 job. There’s lots of time spent at home researching and creating lesson plans too. I just think that we should be recognized on the same level as primary school teachers as I think we have much more work to do than they have. We don’t get the 12 weeks holidays either!!! I also think that all of our professional training should be paid for as it’s extremely hard to fork out $150 for a course on these wages.. Thanks for listening Julia.
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I am currently on maternity leave for my second child. By my calculations, upon my return to work, i will be paying more outgoings to childcare and transport to work than i will be earning. Returning to my professional career would be a choice to keep my foot in the door, but should i do this at the expense of raising my children myself as there is absolutely no financial benefit to working for me. ( Due to my husband’s salary we do not qualify for the childcare benefit, and the rebate equates to approx a third of the fees we would be charged for my two children, based on four working days that I would be obliged to work. What would you do Julia?
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Stay home. Why on earth would you go back to work when your husband earns enough for you to live on? And why do people like you expect the government to foot the bill? It makes no logical sense to me.
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It is not possible (and I imagine that Treasury has done some more detailed cost-benefit analysis on this), that, putting aside the emotional side of the argument, Anonymous returning to work may actually have a net benefit to the Australian economy? If she is paying more tax than she is receiving in childcare benefits, why wouldn’t the government logically foot the bill? Is she not also more likely to pay more tax in the longer term too as her career hasn’t stalled for a couple of years? In addition, she is creating demand for child care workers, transport workers, etc. who themselves pay tax.
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It sounds like so many other mothers and families you are really grappling with what’s the right choice. I don’t think there is a ‘right answer’ – what matters is it’s your answer and it works for you. I do want families to feel supported no matter what choices they make. The system should wrap around you – you shouldn’t have to fit yourself to the system.
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Ms Gillard and Ms Ellis,
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to address this issue of Childcare via MM.
Having worked for the past few months temping as an ECT.( prior to that I was working full time in the industry for 10 years), I am disappointed at the amount of unqualified staff working within the industry. Gen Y are not too interested in upskilling, they might get their Cert 111, which is not much more than a firstaid and common sense qualification. Being unqualified they have little idea or respect for the professionall qualifications as in some cases in the newer multi purpose built centres in Sydney they are already in charge of rooms and think it’s just about minding the children. They are expert at taking photos of children playing but I can tell you there is not much education or encouraging self development,or self help skills going on. Even their knowledge of wellness and wellbeing is lacking. No wonder so many children constantly catch colds when they play outdoors for so long in cold weather. I just lament. Many of the qualified and experienced staff have left the indusrty or have taken early retirement
because they are sick to death of low wages, poor conditions (what other 4 year University trained professional has to clean toilets, carry heavy outdoor equipment etc endless housekeeping chores as well as teach, nurse, encourage, cuddle, listen, look and document all the art, craft, maths, science etc that we would love to spend more time on if we had qualified support and the respect of employers, parents and Government in the form of professional wages. We also have heavy HECS debts to pay back.
It is a demanding career and the children are delightful, challenging and curious, so they too deserve better. Parents need to ask more questions e.g. “where does the money go?” My daughter pays $130.00 x 4 days per week that equates to $520. weekly or $26,000 anually and receives $7,500 rebate anually. (So that does not equate to a 50% rebate as is bandied around as being factual). When she has a second child she simply won’t be able to afford the childcare in her area of Sydney and she is on an executive salary. It will still be too expensive and not worth the expense after road tolls, parking etc are taken into account.
I think the major childcare centres are making a fortune or not managing the centres efficiently.
Something as to be done, but I guess as private companies they can profiteer as much as they like.
They already snow the parents about quality care. They may look appealing but not too much is happening when it comes to learning outcomes!
Please consider bring Early Childhood Education under the education banner and putting preschools on or near school campuses to stop the costs esculating. What other private businesses are subsidized to the extent that private childcare centres are? And then they can’t or rather won’t pay their staff a fair wage. They also should not be allowed to skill/train their own staff.
It should be compulsory for all staff to have to train at a Tafe or University.
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Where can Centres go to be compensated for money they have lost due to Families leaving the Centre still owing outstanding fees?
Debt collection Agencies are expensive and they seldom work … as a Director I would like to see a policy put in place that makes it MANDATORY that BEFORE a Family receives any rebate they must first produce a letter from their child’s Centre stating that they are current on their fees!
Fair is fair … please comment! ISN’T IT TIME TO PUT CENTRES AND EDUCATOR’S FIRST? Without us, Australia would not survive – PERIOD!
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Dear PM Julia Gillard,
Systematic psychological changes, emotional changes,problem solving, moral understanding, language acquisition, social personality, emotional development ———–all are important for a child while Perceptual, social and language system depends crucially on environmental stimulation. My question is —how does a child/ baby be grown up in child care in absense of parents. Heart to Heart connection ( mam, dad and child) is the most important thing in the initial level.
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I am so sick of the “ENTITLEMENT MENTALITY” most Australians have – I RESENT paying taxes to support other people’s life choices – IF YOU CANT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE CHILD YOU CHOSE TO HAVE WHY SHOULD OTHERS HAVE TO?
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And when you’re retired, who’s going to be paying tax to keep the country running for you?
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Hi Guest, Similarly, we could refuse to pay for treatment for lung cancer sufferers because of the ciggies they CHOSE to smoke or ambulances to rush to drivers who CHOSE to drive too fast. If we want to see ourselves as a compassionate, forward thinking community who looks after our kids, our oldies and our sick people we need to stop bitching and think about the best ways to make it work. Any IDEAS?
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Well I don’t have kids either (don’t plan to) but I fully support assistance to parents who need the help. It shouldn’t all be about “me, me, me” but what can be done to make a great society for ALL of us to live in.
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I have worked in long day care for over 20years in both the private and community sectors, and have experienced a myriad of changes in that time. I am excited and challenged by the new frameworks in place and agree with the rational for such implementation. I would suggest that a lot of focus is placed on the educators to continually improve their skills and education to improve the quality of care for children. A lot of the responsibility for quality provision filters down to them, however no recognition for this responsibility exists in Industrial Awards.
What I have seen and experienced is a funding system that places the capacity for any quality implementations to occur in the hands of operators (Licensee, Service providers). These providers can make or break the quality of the centre by the allocation of funds to such provisions as consumables, resources and wages. When addressing any reforms to funding I would suggest that the Government implements a system for monitoring where the tax provided funds (CCB and Child Care Rebate) are actually being spent by service providers. These public funds should be directed to improved wages and the provision of quality, safe environments for children. I provide this example to support my statements: If a service is receiving CCB and CCR payments from DEEWR, where are these funds going when educators are not only being paid very low wages, but from those wages having to supply paint, pencils, paper, books and other resources to enable them to provide a basic program for the children? These basic provisions in many cases are not provided by service providers. I have experienced first hand having to buy gloves for nappy change as none was provided by my employer. As I am now Director of a service and no longer contact teaching, I have a room at home full of the resources I have had to purchase over the years just to be able to provide the basic program needs for children. These resources include books, felt stories, puppets, games and aprons, and the list goes on.
I also question the current CCR payment system whereby families are paid 50% rebate on out of pocket expenses. Some families have not paid these out of pocket expenses but rather have left a service owing a large debt for which they then receive a 50% rebate. I would recommend a review of the system to include some proof of payment of such out of pocket expenses before CCR is payable to families.
In regards to wages and working conditions, I recommend an increase in wages to a professional level so that the calibre of educator being retained and attracted to the sector is one that has the capacity to implement the National Quality Framework. This is a document that recognises the importance of the early years-now we need an Award that recognises the importance of the people educating and caring for our most precious children in their early years.
I also advocate for improving the training sector for those gaining Children’s Services qualifications. The current entry point for those embarking on a Certificate III in Children’s Services has no minimum requirement. If we want educators of the calibre necessary to implement the National Quality Framework, why are we not setting some minimum standard for entry into such a profession? There seems to be a focus on providing additional training places to fill the workforce gap that exists in the early childhood sector. I would suggest that students are being rushed through qualifications to fill this gap, but in doing so are entering the profession ill-prepared and lacking fundamental skills and knowledge to enable them to fulfil the job role, and these new entry educators are then leaving the profession due to the stress of the job. I would recommend a study into the number of existing skilled and qualified early childhood educators in the general workforce population and work at ways of enticing them back to the profession rather than keep pouring money into inadequate training. We need to address why so many educators are leaving the sector rather than training more educators who will ultimately also leave the sector. We need to focus on fixing the large crack in the dam wall to keep it full, rather than simply pouring more water in!
Finally, I would like to see some requirement implemented through legislation for service providers to include babies in their service. A funding model would need to be developed for offsetting the additional expenses of offering care and education to babies. In my community there are only 2 services that provide care to children under 15months (our service being one of those), and the wait list for places for babies is horrendous. The reason services do not provide care for babies is directly correlated to the cost of care for this age group of children (ie more consumable and overhead costs, fewer children to staff ratio). Those services that provide care for babies are overburdened and families suffer as they wait for available places to become available.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to improve the quality of life for our children by contributing to suggestions for improvement via this forum. I appreciate your time and commitment to our nations children.
Lisa Keegan
Director
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Julia & Kate
Thank you for listening. I have worked in the ECEC sector for 20 years. A word I frequently use to describe this sector is “transient”. Educators are leaving in droves due to the appalling wages. Since NQF, more are leaving. This isn’t quality education and care. I don’t want my grandchildren in this environment. What will you do to ensure we retain our quality educators? When will we see wages reflect our dedicated hard work?
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Good-morning –
First let me say I have worked in Child Care for over 40 years. I began as a Child Care Assistant and I now own and am the Director of my own Centre.
I love working with young Children but I am seriously considering closing my Centre due to the burden now placed upon Director’s and Educator’s by the NQS, NQF and ELYF.
The mandated record keeping, that sounds so wonderful in theory, is a REAL nightmare to put into practice!
There are not enough hours in our WORKING DAY for my employees to complete these tasks and still care for the children!
I will not ask, nor do I expect my employees to take their work home at night.
I feel after being on their feet 8 hours a day, caring for the children as well as completing the necessary housekeeping duties associated with their jobs is MORE THAN ENOUGH! Especially considering the LOW wages earned in Childcare.
As a result I have had to employ additional Staff, that I can not afford, to allow my Level 4′s time away from their groups so these Standards can be met.
There is absolutely no way this amount of record keeping, curriculum planning and other mandated paperwork can be completed during their “2 hours of planning time” currently allocated by Industry Standards as adequate.
I fail to understand why Child Care Centres must be “micro-managed” by Regulatory Authorities to such an extent – it is insulting that we must keep records to show as proof of everything we do. VERY INSULTING!!!
Could you also please explain why Child Care Centres have now been mandated (beginning in 2014) to employ Pre-School Teachers and pay them a Teacher’s Salary?
Are not the rates that are deemed “good enough” for Educators working in Child Care Centres good enough for them as well?
I have heard that the Government wants to phase out Government Preschools (that are free-of-charge here in the ACT) and make it the responsibility of the Child Care Centres to provide this service – Would you please comment on this?
I fully support a pay raise for my Employees but truthfully I can NOT afford to pay them above award wages.
The women I have employed have sacrificed a decent standard of living in order to educate the next generation of Australians.
I also can NOT afford to pay for a Pre-School Teacher without substantially raising my fees. Tax dollars pay Pre-school Teacher’s salaries here in the ACT why are Child Care Centres expected to pay for the Teacher’s we are MANDATED to employ?!
I believe Child Care Centres should be recognized as part of each State’s Education System.
The Federal Government funds public and private schools – why are Child Care Centres not included in this funding?
Why have we been asked to “accomplish miracles” without the funding to compensate us?
Prime Minister WE NEED FUNDING NOW!!!!!
Without it, fees will continue to rise or small Centres, like mine, will be forced to close!
Without a DECENT PAY RAISE qualified Educators will continue to leave the sector – especially considering the additional work they must now be responsible for completing!!!
SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT IT NOW – IT IS WAY PAST DUE!!!
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With the child care rebate, working parents pay more for child care the more they earn yet a single mum who is not working can get child care reduced to such an extent that parents who work cant afford child care because they earn too much and the rebate is reduced yet mums that don’t have a job can get child care at a fraction of the cost yet they are able to look after their child, working mums and dads can’t!
Shouldn’t it be that if you are working and paying tax that you should get the rebate, not the other way round where you can be on the dole and have your kids looked after virtually for free. This scheme was set up by the previous government and needs a review. Sort this out and working patents might get a place once all the stay at home parents remove their kids and open up places for those helping to support and grow our country.
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Hi Prime Minister
Thank you so much for taking on this important issue. I am a Group Leader who has worked in the child care industry for the past 18 years. The EYLF is a fantastic document that was well over due for Australia. I acknowledge the importance of the NQF but am frustrated by how repetitive and long winded much of it is. We are weary of changes and exhausted by the paper-work increase. Some days it feels as though I am documenting to prove that I know what I am doing in my everyday job is meeting the various standards…a little like being back at TAFE where we had to prove we understood what we were learning. I wonder sometimes if any of those responsible for creating the NQF would like to actually demonstrate how they suppose we should do our job? Would they last an hour, a day, a week? By the time I get home from work each day I am physically and emotionally exhausted. I rarely go out or socialise on weekdays purely because I have nothing left to give. I wonder how much longer I will be able to give to a career I love but has cost me much.
On another issue, I am shocked that Directors are no longer necessary for running centres- so long as someone at a centre has a degree in education and acts as the ‘Educational Leader’. Would we be happy for schools to be run by someone who has a background in business but not education? Directors do so much more than just office duties- they have a huge role in leading and managing staff, liaising with families, problem solving and the list could go on and on. I cannot understand the logic in this and see it as a complete step backward for the industry.
Thank you for your time- I think you’re doing a great job as PM!
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Hello Julia. I am an educator at a small community based centre. We all work 38 paid hours a week and to ensure that we meet the new laws we take work home, come in on weekends and devote ourselves to our work. At our centre we are paid the award wage of $19.27. I can barely put food on my table let alone pay my general living bills. I work hard to provide a high quality service for the future work force of australia and yet by doing such a vital job, working overtime to unpaid to meet regulations, the paperwork and studying just to keep my job why is it ok for me to struggle to enjoy life when i can even afford food let alone small luxuries. What are you going to do about the insulting wages. We should be paid as professionals, we do such an important job with incredible qualifications and skills. I look forward to a positive change.
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Dear Prime Minister and Minister,
Help! Sessional and independent preschools are drowning!
There is insufficient and inadequate funding for actually managing preschools, leaving volunteers to work many hours to run a small business in an industry they don’t understand. Imagine being managed by your client with no understanding of your industry, who has a vested interest in not making strategic changes that may not suit their family circumstances, it’s crazy!
Imagine managing your child’s teacher, even when things are running well it is a difficult relationship to navigate. As a parent volunteer for 7 years, I have many times been in very difficult and unfair positions with staff, local council, children and other parents. With increasing changes and requirements, please what needs to happen for fundamental changes to occur?
Could we please have funding to manage preschools as well as funding to adequately pay staff? Our current funding does not even pay staff’s wages and staff are not adequately paid. We have been so systematically underfunded for such a long time, (thanks to previous Governments) that our situation has become increasingly untenable.
Finally, can you please put a stop to the constant political push that preschools find themselves caught in? Local government blame state government, state blame federal, each push you to suggest the other should be funding, etc As our nation’s leaders, I implore you, could you please take responsibility and eliminate this ultimately futile political game and just help us?
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Please, please help the many hundreds of sessional, independent preschools, they are doing an awesome job with our children, please let’s do a great job of running them!
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With the new National Quality Frameworks in operation and the research that clearly shows the incredible importance of the relationships, development and learning that occurs in the first five years of life, why doesn’t the government subsidise Childcare services/attendance in a similar way as they do public school systems? Establishing a strong foundation in the early years will minimise issues during the teen years and adult hood. Thank you.
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I currently work in the industry and I have been at the same centre for over 15 years.
I now call myself an Early Childhood Educator or a Children’s Service Professional the word child care worker is no longer our title. I and my team of Educators are not baby sitters as said by many of the community professionals.
We need higher wages to match our professional care and the the forever changing framework.
I am very passionate about my job and I have the skills and high quality care to bring and enrich any learning environment for children in the early years.
It would be a loss for my center and parents and myself if I had to leave because of my income.
My job would have to go to another educator who may not have the skills, care, professional outlook, positive interactions,
Close relationships, etc etc I could go on and on and on.
Your are losing educators fast in this sector due to wages.
It is researched that children learn and develop most of their learning in the first 3 years.
These young children are going to be our future. They deserve quality care and I’m sure all the parents would agree to.
Parents would like to see educators at a centre for a long period of time not educators leaving every week.
This industry needs Help now.
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There is no public information about the childcare rebate for healthcare card holders (who consider the rebate more important than employed persons due to the wage differential).
I know a safety net exists, but information is very difficult to find.
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It’s hard to find information about anything, Brian. I only found out about most of the stuff I have because I happened to get someone who was in a good mood on the phone one day. Or day care centre staff told me to ask about them. Mostly the latter.
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Hi Julia,
Am hoping that I’m a pleasant blast from the past for you! Those years in Cbr during the 2000′s were such a learning experience for you pollies and also us staffers.
SInce departing the Cbr scene and many a year doing this and that, I headed back to Newcastle and have since married and now have a two year old son.
We’re so very lucky to have secured day care for our bub at a private centre that we know and trust. Sam is in great hands and we’re more than happy to pay our way (and appreciate the rebate we do get). Also, we’re happy to pay fees for equiptment and excursions.
However, across the board I believe that our carers are not renumerated appropriately for the level of care they provide. We give our day care providers a huge responsibilty and place a lot of faith in them to educate our bubs to the best of their ability.
I believe that a wholesome review of the child care funding system is needed. There needs to be a better understand of the financial implications of how the Aust system is operating both from a government level and how private and public providers deliver services.
I believe Sam is lucky to be enroled in day care in any case, let alone in a centre that we’re pleased with. BUT, I know his carers deserve a new deal that balances their amazing efforts with the costs involved with caring for our kids. Cheers, Blythe
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My childcare gripe is having to still pay fees for public holidays. I’m sure I’d think they were fair enough if I worked in childcare, but I’m a struggling student, & not happy to pay for care I’m not even getting.
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I commend the efforts towards national standardisation and the quality framework driving improvements – but have been disappointed to see that some states are seemingly lagging significantly behind most. I am a resident of SA now, previously of NSW, and have been disappointed with the standard of care I’ve experienced here – the biggest issue seems to me to be ratios; despite good intentions the quality of experience for the child does not seem as good.
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hi
thanks for taking time to speak to and listen to those effected and affected by your reforms.
i work in early childhood and have a few points to raise.
1. waitlists for under 3′s are so long families in our centre wait on average 2yrs for a place. i wonder if this is the norm how does this tie in with the average parental leave option of 12months. are women expected to forgo the option of returning to the workplace they were at prior to having a child, hire an extremely expensive nanny or pray their workplace will hold their job for another indeterminate amount of time?
2. the govt’s priority of access upsets me on a regular basis – over the past three years we have on occassions had to give priority to new arrivals to australia (arriving within 4-6months) who had only just come on our waitlist over families who had been on our list in excess of 18months. i understand the need to assist new arrivals to assilimilate but how is this equitable to tax paying australians?
3. upskilling the workforce is a fantastic initiative but i find it disheartening that there are so many RTO’s out there that are putting out new graduates who are illequiped and lacking in quality training for them to administer quality education and care. too many times i have seen students pass their practicums that i would not leave one-on-one with a child let alone a group of 4 (under 3′s) or 15 (3-5′s).
4. all to often at industry gatherings and events we are hearing about centres not adherring to the ratio requirements. by doing this they are only putting the children’s safety and well being at risk. this behaviour is endemic and often goes unnoticed under the review and accreditation process as visits by dept officials are too scheduled, too short and no where near often enough.
5. deecd’s work load is so great at present they are at least 6months behind in there work load – in dec of 2011 we applied for a change of licensee and nominee – we are still awaiting confirmation of this change. 4 months ago we applied to have a number if our staff enstated as certified supervisors – again we are still waiting to hear. 2weeks ago we received a spotcheck and as a result of the above were considered tobe in breach of regulations as the info we are displaying for families does is not accurate. our deecd produced docs listing these things are now back on the walls displaying licensee and persons in charge info that lists people no longer involved or working at our centre. beaurocracy for beaurocracy sake. are there any additional initiatives planned to assist the state governments implement these new reforms and the obviously massively increased workload they are now enduring?
6. staff turnover is at an all time high. staff morale and happiness are at an all time low. replacing staff is at its most difficult – sure there are plenty of fresh new graduates out there (in particilar cert 3′s) but unfortunately we are losing diplama & above trained staff and due to regs need to replace them with like qualified. we have hired 4 staff in the last 6 weeks only to lose them at the last minute to other centres willing to pay them more and give them better conditions. minimum wage and appalling planning time (2 or 4 hrs per week depending on qualification) needs to be addressed or the industry will be in crises point (if it’s not already). why is that conditions and pay for kinder teachers is so different to childcare works? dont your new reforms put all educators in early childhood on a level playing field? should there conditions and pay be on the same level playing field?
i love advocating for children but am really struggling to keep my motivation up when it is becoming increasingly more demanding, at times unjust and inequitable and consistency from place to place so vastly different.
thanks.
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I am fortunate to be one of the lucky ones who found childcare when I needed it, and my daughter is in a fantastic centre that she loves attending a few days a week. I am a single mum who works 3 days a week in a professional job, earning reasonable but not crazy $. I pay my mortgage and we enjoy a comfortable lifestyle without it being over the top. I appreciate people’s frustrations, but feel a lot of these issues are dependent on location, as all my friends have had similar experiences to me and been able to return to work if and when they choose to. The rebates are fantastic and do make it worthwhile going to work. The balance I have between my gorgeous girl and my career is perfect, and for me I wouldn’t have it any other way!
As an HR practitioner I see the difficulties some of our lower earners have in balancing their budgets between working and daycare, and I encourage the government to continue to explore options that makes it feasible for people to return to work when they choose. And while some people feel that juggling a career and parenting responsibilities is selfish, please remember that as individuals we still have our plans and dreams, and having children does not mean those dreams and plans have to be put on hold!!
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When is the government going to acknowledge that people who aren’t in the “Aussie families” demographic actually exist? If you are single, childfree, gay, a student, an artist, an academic or anyone who doesn’t fit the mainstream mould, you are a non-entity in the government’s eyes. The rhetoric and pandering is nauseating and, frankly, intellectually insulting.
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I use Family Day Care services, as I’ve found Child care centres charge way too much even with a rebate, they charge in blocks of 6 hours – so having a child in there from 10am to 2pm you would be charged 12 hours! That is why I can not afford to have my child in a child care centre, as being charged 12 hours for every day (when only say 4hours is needed) is too excessive. Family Day Care (run through the local council) charges the actual hours in care! If more centres could charge like this, Child care can be more affordable to everyone.
I’ve been happy with the care provided, I’ve used Family Day care now for my 4th child, I was working and now I am studying at Monash University; I receive both Family Tax Benefit A & B, and receive the JET child care assistance from Centrelink. My bill that comes in from the council is only $2 per week on average is what we pay such a big difference! Things need to change with the centres to be more affordable for parents! If family day care can charge only for hours used, why can’t child care centres ?
Can the child care centres be regulated by Government with regards to how they charge parents.
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My FDC providers have a min 6hr booking per day. You must be in a flexible area compared to me.
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You can get your jet applied to a child care account and you would pay only $0.10 per hour so maximum you would pay a day would be $1.20 (based on a centre open for 12 hours)
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Cheryl – great to hear you have been so happy with your family day care. One of the issues we are talking about is how we can manage fee increases at centres. I know that potential increases really worry families.
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Day care is as important as university education. The first 3 years of a child forms the blueprint for the future. The caregiver should have a good understanding of early childhood development- Can the governement offer incentives to organisations that offer Day care centres in the vicinity of the working parent?. A ratio could be worked out in proportion to the wage earned by the parent and the subsidy offered to the organisation by the government. A well run Day care will turn out kids with good social skills, as well as learning skills. They will learn to integrate and gain the ability to adjust and communicate with peers. Will the government encourage and have an control system that is vigilant about the quality of the day care service provided.
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I’d like to see a no junk food campaign in child care centres. I can’t believe they are allowed to serve infants and toddlers chips, dip and cake!
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Working families should not have to pay more than non working families. We get less help from the government and they get everything handed to them for not working! We struggle also that’s why parents go back to work!!
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That’s a pretty big assumption to make about people receiving help from the government with anything, Carley.
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Hi, Prime Minister and Minister,
I am a mother of 4 kids with one kid with disability. He goes to day care twice a week. My question is why is it so expensive to send kid to child care. Should not be subsidise more? Specially for special needs kids. I want my kid to socialise with other kids so I put him in day care but if the cost is going high I think I have to take my kid out…
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Why dont we have schools for dyslexic kids in Australia , There are schools for dyslexic kids in the UK why not here. Im a student and i know how hard it is for them as i have a younger brother with dyslexia and its so upsetting watching him struggle every day just trying to do what other kids can.He cries because he doesn’t want to go to school because the work is o hard and the school does nothing about it so Please do something about it.
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Yes I agree. My daughter has some learning difficulties, including dyslexia and there is NOTHING available for her as far as her extra needs go at school. It is crazy. I am very happy to have her Ina mainstream school, but she AND her teachers, need help badly.
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Dear Hon Prime Minister,
I was listening to your news conference today regarding Childcare costs. I have few suggestions that might help.
I think increasing family day care will help lot of parents to reduce child care costs. Family day care costs less than Child Care Centres and provides very similar service to parents. Furthermore parents still can claim the child care rebate and child care benefit the same way they do currently if their child is going to a childcare centre.
But the problem is, it’s so difficult to start a family day care at home. Local councils regulate this and only release a certain number per year. In addition to that there are only few private family day care schemes.i.e Bambini. I think the biggest challenge is the financial risks. New family day care providers, normally takes at least 1 to 2 years to establish and get enough children before they start earning a reasonable income. Till then they normally struggle and have to make sure there is supplementary income to support their other household expenses. Secondly the council might request changes to be made to their house to make it safe for the children. So they need to have some capital ready to make these changes. Finally it’s difficult to get the cert III education qualification because of the work placement ( work experience) requirement, specially if you are a mom returning back to workforce.
There are lot of members in our community( mainly mums) willing to complete cert III in Children Services and start their own family day care business, but the current conditions and the above mention reasons are not encouraging them to do so.
I am suggesting the below
• Provide tax relief to new family day care providers for the first 2 years( similar to NEIS- New Enterprise Incentive Scheme)
• Provide interest free loans to new family day care providers to make their house child safe/proof
• Provide government funding for potential family day care providers to complete Cert III Children Services and Diploma in Children Services
• Make changes to the eligibility criteria to enter Cert III and Diploma courses to accept family day care experience. Currently for Cert III & Diploma students need to complete placement work of 150 hours & 250 hours in long day care environment. Currently most of the prospective students find this really difficult and especially for moms who wants to come back to the workforce. Childcare providers can sometimes only have one student or apprentice, hence students get refused by child care providers and this stops them from completing the minimum education qualification requirements.
• Commence a campaign to promote Family day care as an alternate low cost option to child care centres.
This will help lot of mums to get back to workforce and also look after their young families. Majority of the Australian will have access to quality child care for affordable rates in the family day care environment.
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I’m wondering how two daycares can charge the same amount in fees yet one has way better educational resources and feeds your child four times a day and the other lacks educational resources and you have to send all their meals for the day? Doesn’t make sense.
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I am a father of two little girls age 3.4 and 2.4 ..and we had a new born as well..we are a recently migrated family here ..and i am struggling hard to get a job here in Sydney but so far no luck..thanks for the baby bonus payment but Ma’m Prime minister my wife and i are facing great difficulty as despite getting 100% fee support for my kids and getting family tax benefit part A and B ..we can’t send our kids to child care so i can easily move out of home to search for any job or my wife can continue her website designing work from home as the local child care centres are asking us to pay them $15-$27 per day per child …how can we pay them? the rent of our home is already $1300 …how can we afford child care for our kids? pls help….thanks
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Why do i have to pay on public holidays or when my child is sick Or when i cancel for a week for holidays get threatened that my son will lose his place Thats emotional blackmail knowing its hard to take you son away from friends
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Trevor the hard facts are that child care centres are businesses. Fees are required for public holidays etc. because staff still need to be paid. This is another reason why we need to have a whole new look at how the child care sector is funded. The government fund the running of our hospitals and schools- why not the running of child care? Before the Howard government scrapped operational subsidies of community-run (not-for-profit) centres there were few privately owned ones. Unfortunately Eddy Groves’ ABC empire bought out many of the struggling centres who weren’t business-savvy enough to cover the shortfall of the subsidy. Now we have an overindulgent private sector who continue to make a profit out of caring for children before they are age-appropriate to begin formal schooling. Would we allow such private enterprise in our hospitals and schools whereby corners are cut (to the detriment of patients/students and staff) so as to line the pockets of a few rich owners? It’s time to take back the community sector of the child care industry and help it grow once again. Not-for-profit centres can be trusted to truly care for our future generation because making money is not their bottom line.
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I am a FDC provider.I prefer to work in home based care as I found working in centers to be a soul destroying experience for my self and the children. I do make a profit from caring for children , its a job i love doing , but also need to make a living .I do put the needs of the children before profit ( just last week I really wanted new boots , but saw an amazing wooden floor puzzle i knew the kids would love for about the same $ , the children are loving the new puzzel) I also do not charge for public holidays .
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My son was born in November so because of the new school age rules which are ridiculous i will now be paying fees to there scare mongers for another year Great !!!!!
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What new school age rules?
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Ms Gillard,
My family lives in country WA, we benefit from a locally run Daycare centre with 2 fulltime (4 days/wk) staff. The biggest issue our centre faces is the challenge of appointing a long-term Education Assistant- with low pay, the lack of career advancement in such a small centre and the lack of renumeration for study contributing directly to interest in this vital role. Rural/country centres need additional financial support to attract potential employees and professional development available in regional centres.
In terms of pay; I’m ashamed to say that as a Teacher half my salary covers the fees for care for my 2 little boys – I earn double after tax what my Early Childhood colleague does and soon their paperwork and responsibility will mirror mine. I believe this is the biggest deficiency faced by this area of the education sector.
Thanks for reading.
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