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Childcare Alliance Australia
Media Release - Embargoed midnight Sunday December 06 2009
9 out of 10 WA 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, parents, in particular those from Western Australia, warn the Governments to consider
the financial and social impact on their families before implementing any reforms.
“very important, i would like to have more children as one is not enough but with growing rate
of childcare we can’t afford it....if the fee's keep going up there goes our dream of owning our
own home. So in answer to your question (how important is access to quality childcare)
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.” Parent from the electorate of Canning in Western Australia.
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 70.8% of Western Australian parents (80% nationally) surveyed
had heard of the Government’s proposed reforms to childcare which includes increasing the ratio of
staff to children. Overwhelmingly Western Australian
parents (83.3%) already rate the early learning
care their child receives
as very good or excellent while 83.3% class the staff at their Western
Australian child’s centre as very good or excellent.
“It is vital to my existence. I am a single parent who is about to start my own business -
I
certainly don't have an extra one hundred dollars per week to spare
The cost of living is
soaring, I find this a morose subject!” - Parent from the electorate of Hasluck.
However, when it comes to the anticipated fee increase (ranging from $8 - $16 per day per child) that
the Government’s reform agenda is expected to incur; 87.5% of Western Australian families say they
could not afford to have their child or children continue at their centre.
“It would make childcare unaffordable to our family and therefore would have to give up part
time.” Parent from the electorate of O’Connor in Western Australia.
WA currently operates under the increased ratio of staff to children and even so the additional costs
will be significant. When asked what the impact of a fee increase 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.
“It will mean less income definitely. Currently, most of my income would go to the day care
centre, if fees increased all my income would go. It would not make a difference whether I
work or not.” Parent from the electorate of Kalgoorlie.
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.
President of Childcare Western
Australia
(part of the Childcare Alliance Australia), Ms Roslyn
Thompson 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 Thompson said.
“We need to make sure that these well intentioned reforms don’t price struggling families out of quality
early learning programs altogether.”
Ms Thompson called on the Prime Minister, WA Premier Mr Colin Barnett
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 world class
already. We need to ensure all children have affordable access to quality early learning programs.
“Our children are too precious and their futures too important for us to rush this through and get this
wrong,” Ms Thompson 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 Roslyn Thompson on 0407652177 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 
