Childcare reforms will increase parents' costs by up to $50 a week
Parents could pay $50 a week more for childcare under federal government quality reforms negotiated with the states and territories yesterday.
Long daycare centres would be forced to hire extra staff - and childcare workers without formal qualifications would be banned - under the changes being championed by Childcare Minister Kate Ellis, The Weekend Australian can reveal. But the government has backed away from the recommendation by its own panel of childcare experts to make centres employ one carer for every three babies and toddlers - which would have cost parents nearly $100 a week.
Instead, the government wants, by the end of the year, one carer for every four infants younger than two.
The change would cost $1.24million over the next 10 years, with out-of-pocket expenses for parents rising $2 a day in 2011 and $10 a day in 2020 for each child in full-time care.
Most states and territories now permit one staff member for every five babies, but the proposed new staffing rules would drag them into line with the higher ratio in Queensland and Western Australia.
The federal government plan also requires one staff member for every five two-year-olds by 2014. In South Australia, which now permits one carer for every 10 toddlers, childcare centres would have to hire twice as many workers.
For children aged three years and over, the ratio would be one carer for 11 children by the end of 2015.
Unqualified childcare staff would no longer be able to work. All staff working with children would need a Certificate III level qualification (equivalent to a six-month TAFE course) - or at least be enrolled in study - by the end of 2013.
Half the staff in each centre would need a diploma in childcare. And centres with more than 25 children would have to employ at least one full-time university-qualified teacher.
The government's plan - which requires a sign-off by the Council of Australian Governments at a meeting in Brisbane next month - is likely to meet resistance from the commercial childcare sector.
ABC Learning, which controls 15 per cent of the market, is demanding that taxpayers foot the bill. "It is our view that parents will move to alternative sources of childcare if the financial burden of the proposed reforms falls at their feet," ABC Learning states in a submission to the continuing Senate inquiry into its collapse into receivership a year ago.
Natasha Bita
The Australian. November 07, 2009
Australia Invests $25 Million For New Children And Family Centres
The Minister for Early Childhood Education and Child Care Kate Ellis and the South Australian Minister for Early Childhood Development Jay Weatherill today announced three new Children and Family Centres for South Australia.
The Federal Government, in partnership with the South Australian Government, is investing $25.22 million over six years for new centres at Christies Beach/Noarlunga, Whyalla and Ceduna. “The first few years of a child’s life set them on a road to adulthood – we want that road to take them to good health, education and social development,” Ms Ellis said. “We particularly want Aboriginal children to get the best start in life. Experts tell us that quality early education has the power to break the cycle of disadvantage and that’s vital to closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.”
The centres target the needs of Aboriginal families and their young children, but all families will be able to use the service. The SA Children and Family Centres will open in 2011 and bring together services to help children and their families develop in terms of health, education and social development. Ms Ellis said the decision to build the centres at Christies Beach/Noarlunga, Whyalla and Ceduna is based on the growing number of Indigenous children under the age of five in these communities.
Mr Weatherill said the next step is to talk to each community about the specific sites for the centres and what types of services they’d like to see provided. “We will make sure we engage with the local community to ensure the services will meet the needs of local families and improve outcomes for young children,” he said. 35 Children and Family Centres will be built across Australia as part of the $564 million Indigenous Early Childhood Development National Partnership Agreement between the Australian Government and States and Territories.
Source: Government of Australia
Best childcare centre in Australia
Oakville Preschool Learning Centre has been named Australia’s best childcare centre. The centre won the top childcare honour at the 2009 Australian Small Business Champion awards held at The Westin in Sydney on Saturday, November 14.
The award comes after the preschool was named best Children’s Services provider in the area at the Rouse Hill Times Business Awards in September for the second year running.
Centre director Joanne Ware also received the individual award for Employee Excellence at the Business Awards. Business owner Elizabeth Sheridan said the latest award recognised the quality of teaching at the centre and the hard work of the staff. “We have a great reputation for providing a service above what is normally expected in a preschool environment,” Ms Sheridan said. “Number one in Australia, that’s pretty good.”
Ms Sheridan purchased the centre in 1997 when her son was attending the preschool. Since then, she has renovated the centre and added an adventure playground, including animals and a hydroponic garden. “We have sheep, goats, cows; we breed them and the kids are encouraged to take care of them,” she said. “The aim of it is to promote empathy and kindness amongst the children, as well as acceptance of others, teamwork and positive self-esteem.”
The centre caters for children aged from two to six, and there are four qualified teachers and three trained childcare staff on site. A prep school program is also available to teach children early reading writing, science and maths through hands-on activities.
Zilka Grogan
Rouse Hills Times