CHILDCARE: GOVT’S QUALITY AND SAFETY MEASURES CRITICAL NEXT STEP FOR REFORM

Safety and quality breaches, non-payment of wages and financial integrity problems will see childcare providers cut off from government funding in a move welcomed by the nation’s main advocacy group for parents. 

The move, announced in Parliament today by Minister for Early Childhood Education and Care Anne Aly, comes following ABC Four Corners’ revelations of abuse, neglect and cost-cutting in for-profit early learning centres. 

The Parenthood CEO Georgie Dent said these changes are a necessary first step and must be followed by the establishment of a national early childhood education and care commission.

“Children being safe in early learning is the absolute baseline parents are entitled to expect and these changes will address some of the factors at play that can undermine quality and safety.” 

“We currently have $14 billion in Federal Government money funding a system which is dominated by for-profit providers, and while we have a world-leading National Quality Framework, we know standards are not being enforced the way they should.”

Last year, the Productivity Commission recommended the creation of a national early childhood commission, a move advocates including The Parenthood have been pushing for. 

“The reality is that our current early education and care system lacks strong, independent oversight. A National Early Childhood Commission is essential to ensure that every provider - whether for-profit or not - is meeting the highest standards of quality and care. We need an independent body with real power to enforce quality and financial accountability across the sector.”

Ms Dent said the measures announced today could be the first step toward deeper reform but will be ineffective without a national commission to oversee them.

“The federal, state, and territory governments must work together to implement these measures effectively, and ultimately we need to see that cooperation formalised in the next term of government, whoever takes power,” Ms Dent said

“Right now, we have a system where some for-profit providers are cutting corners on quality and safety while charging taxpayers and families sky-high fees. This must change.”

Ms Dent said a shift in the funding model is crucial.

“Childcare should not be a luxury that only some families can afford. The Parenthood is calling for free early learning for low-income families and a cap of $10 a day for everyone else. We also need to support more not-for-profit and community-run providers, which consistently deliver high standards of quality,” she said.

“The government has taken substantive positive steps - like lifting wages for educators, expanding access to early learning and the 3-Day guarantee. An independent national body to assertively regulate and enforce quality, is the next stage in building a high quality universal system that puts children before profits.”