WEL notes the expenditure in the 2008 budget for child care . The budget provided higher rebates for child care
However WEL believes major changes are needed in the provision of adequate and affordable child care:-
Centres and Services should get a proportion of an agreed budget directly from Government with certain conditions as follows:-
* agreeing to peg fees at an acceptable level
* trained and qualified staff
* demonstrated demand for services
* income tested supplement for parents.
The evidence suggests that funding parents results in higher fees. When demand outstrips supply, the usual restraints and competition in the market do not occur so we need to consider alternative strategies. Centres to be funded must involve parents and link with health and other education services. WEL considers funding should be partly to parents and partly to centres.
The 2005 report of Australian Bureau of Statistics survey of child care shows that the demand for family day care has eased from 29,100 in 2002 to only 17,700 in 2005. Demand for after school care has risen by 27.4% and demand for long day care has risen by 14% to 52,900.
Scroll to the bottom to send an email to your politician.
See members views on Child Care and Preschool Education in the Discussion Forum under News & Events.
The contradictions in Government's policies are spelt out in an article by Professor Peter MacDonald: "Stymieing a plan to keep parents in the workplace".
Child care is of major importance in this push to get women into the workforce.
Read about the problems for Business and child care.
And the problems of child care for parents who have a child with disabilities are detailed by a WEL member.
WEL National Policy on Child Care can be found in the section of "About WEL".