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Childcare Alliance Australia
Media Release - Embargoed midnight Sunday December 06 2009
9 out of 10 NSW & ACT families say they can’t afford any
Government-forced fee increases to childcare: 1000-strong
survey of parents reveals today
More than 1000 families with children in formal community or private long day child care centres
across Australia have said NO to the fee increases that may arise from the Government’s proposed
national childcare reforms.
In a clear message to COAG Ministers meeting in Brisbane today to discuss the proposed reform
agenda, NSW and ACT parents, in particular,
warn
the
Governments to consider the financial and
social impact on their families before implementing any reforms.
“I am currently paying over $1200 a fortnight for my two children in day care. There is no way
that we would be able to afford another rise, especially of this amount. It makes it almost
impossible for parents to work as child care is far too costly for those who have to pay! Parent
from the electorate of Calare in NSW.
The quantitative and qualitative survey was conducted online amongst parents
by the Childcare
Alliance Australia which represents 70% of all long day childcare centres in Australia and whose staff
care and educate more than 480,000 young children. The 1095 responses were collated by research
field house My Opinions.
The groundbreaking survey found that 94.5% of NSW and ACT parents (80% nationally) surveyed had
heard of the Government’s proposed reforms to childcare which includes increasing the ratio of staff to
children. Overwhelmingly NSW/ACT
parents (95.4%)
already rate
the early learning care their child
receives as very good or excellent while 97.7% class the staff at their NSW child’s centre as very good
or excellent.
“It is of the utmost important to know that my children are safe and learning while I am working
to support them and their future”. - Parent from the electorate of Fraser in ACT.
However, when it comes to the anticipated fee increase (ranging from $13 - $22 per day per child) that
the Government’s reform agenda is expected to incur; the overwhelming majority of parents (79.3%)
say they could not afford such a negative financial impact.
“It would make childcare impossible to afford which would force parents into using backyard
carers with unqualified and uninsured carers”. Parent from Parkes NSW
“(it would be) a
huge impact, financially I would struggle and probably wouldn't be able to
increase the
days more than two.
It would affect my work commitments, I would be only
limited to finding work that offers two day.” Parent from Page NSW.
In NSW
and the ACT, parents react the strongest. 90.5% say
no, they could not afford such fee
increases.
When asked what the impact would be on their families, the vast majority of parents surveyed say it
will be devastating for them and their children. Many working mothers say they will be forced to quit
their jobs and stay at home with their child.
“We might need to alter our jobs to fit in with the childcare timetable and take a pay cut.”
Parent from the electorate of Barton in NSW.
Others claim their families will have to cut back on other household essentials such as petrol and
groceries. Single mothers believe it may force them back onto the single parent pension.
There are
already not enough childcare places for working parents and it is very,
very
important and needed. I wouldn’t be able to afford it (increases in childcare fees).” Parent from
the electorate of Parkes in NSW.
President of Childcare NSW, Ms Lyn Connolly says her members welcome the Federal Government’s
recognition of the importance of quality private and community child care but there are
very real
concerns about the unintended consequences for families of the proposed National Quality Agenda
Early Childhood Education and Care.
“Many of our parents have few alternatives when it comes to child care. Many have no extended family
or no other reliable means of care. Many children will be forced into unreliable and potentially unsafe
backyard care arrangements,” Ms Connolly said.
“We need to make sure that these well intentioned reforms don’t price struggling families out of quality
early learning programs altogether.”
Ms Connolly called on the Prime Minister, the new NSW Premier, Ms Kristina Keneally and all of the
COAG Ministers to carefully consider the financial and social impact on parents before committing to
implementing the proposed reform agenda.
“As this survey demonstrates, parents consider Australia’s long day childcare centres are more than
satisfied with the care and early learning their children are receiving already. We need to ensure all
children have affordable access to quality early learning programs.
“Premier Keneally says she understands the pressures facing working mothers. If so, she must step
in. Our children are too precious and their futures too important for us to rush this through and get this
wrong,” Ms Connolly said.
The Childcare Alliance Australia will provide a report of the survey to the Prime Minister, the Minister
responsible for Childcare, the Hon Ms Kate Ellis, each Premier and their education Ministers.
ENDS
and for media
interviews, please do not hesitate to contact
Ms Lyn Connolly
on 0425 225 275 or
the other
State representatives on the contact details below:
ACT & QLD—Gwynn Bridge 0418 764
779
SA—Barbara Langford 0417 874 391
NSW—Lyn Connolly 0425 225 275
VIC—Lucian Roncon 0419 004 800
WA—Roslyn Thompson 0407652177
Research Methodology: n=1095 online survey across Australia of parents whose child/children
attend a long day care centre. Survey conducted between October 13, 2009 and December 04,
2009.
NEWS 
