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Childcare Alliance Australia
Media Release - Embargoed midnight Sunday December 06 2009
Nearly 8 in 10 QLD 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 (Monday) to discuss the proposed
reform agenda, Queensland, in particular, warns the Governments to consider the financial and social
impact on their families before implementing any reforms.
“I
would resign from work and withdraw my child from care. It just would not make financial
sense. Parent from the electorate of Brisbane.
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 330,000 young children. The 1095 responses were collated by research
field house My Opinions.
The groundbreaking survey
found that 81.6% of Queensland parents (80% nationally) surveyed had
heard of the Government’s proposed reforms to childcare which includes increasing the ratio of staff to
children. Overwhelmingly the vast majority of Queensland
parents (85.2%)
already rate
the early
learning care their child receives as very good or excellent while 87.7% (90.2% nationally) class the
staff at their Queensland child’s centre as very good or excellent.
“(Access to affordable Quality childcare is) extremely important. I have recently had twins so I
need to know my older daughter is safe when she is in childcare” - Parent from the electorate
of Forde in Queensland.
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 Queensland
parents (78.1%) say they could not afford to have their child or children continue at their centre.
“(I would be) appalled and shocked. It’s expensive enough as it is. I would have to take my
children out of daycare if the fees went up this much.” Parent from the electorate of Faddon in
Queensland.
“we would not be able to have another child as we couldn’t afford care for 2 and it would
cause stress and tension for hubby and I.” -
Parent from the electorate of Bowman in
Queensland .
In Queensland, parents reacted
the strongest
against the likely fee increases. 78.1%
say
no
(nationally it was 79.3%) 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.
“I would have to give up work and running my own business which employees 8 other staff,
and look after my daughter full time.” Parent from the electorate of Griffith in Queensland.
“I would seriously need to rethink the viability of working. Quite a large proportion of my
income already goes to child care costs so an increase would have me questioning the
benefits, financially and emotionally of working.” Parent from the electorate of Dickson in
Queensland.
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.
“My husband and I could not afford such an increase as we
cannot get ccb or family tax
benefit and daycare already costs $1100 a fortnight which is more than half my wage. An
increase of even $13 per child per day would increase this to nearly $1400 per fortnight, We
would have to cut back in all extra activities and even some staples like food.” Parent from the
electorate of Fisher in Queensland.
National representative of Childcare Alliance Australia and President of Childcare QLD, Ms Gwynn
Bridge says her members applaud 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 Bridge said.
“We need to make sure that these well intentioned reforms don’t price struggling families out of quality
early learning programs altogether.”
Ms Bridge
called on the Prime Minister, Premier Bligh
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 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 Bligh 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 Bridge said.
The Childcare Alliance Australia will provide a report of the survey to the Prime Minister, the Minister
responsible for Childcare, Ms Kate Ellis, each Premier and their education Ministers.
ENDS
and for media
interviews, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Gwynn Bridge on 0418 764 779 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 
