Parents feel ‘shattered’: Early learning and childcare shortage financially crushes regional, rural and remote families
A new poll finds that 86 per cent of families from regional, rural and remote communities struggling to access early learning services face financial stress.
Regional, rural and remote parents are on the brink of burnout due to the lack of early childhood education and care in their communities, finds a new report released today by The Parenthood.
The report shares more than 160 exclusive stories of parents, carers, educators and community leaders who are impacted by the shortage of early learning and care.
It comes as a new poll reveals that 86 percent of families living in regional, rural and remote communities and struggling to access care say that they face financial stress as a result.
Campaign Director at The Parenthood, Maddy Butler, said that the ramifications of the shortages extend far beyond the immediate challenges for families finding care.
“Country towns are no longer the affordable and relaxed places to raise children they once were. Having more accessible early learning services has the power to change that.
“Regional, rural and remote parents’ mental health is suffering as they navigate searching and waiting for early learning spots, making alternative arrangements and juggling caring responsibilities with paid work. It shouldn’t be this complicated.
“We know that lack of early learning and care is a struggle for parents right across the country. But the shortage of services is far worse outside of the cities, where it’s common for more than three children to compete for every childcare place.
“This, combined with record high regional house prices and generally more costly expenses like groceries and petrol put parents from regional, rural and remote communities at a real disadvantage.
“Essential workers like nurses, teachers, early childhood educators and psychologists are having to reduce their working hours or quit altogether as there are no appropriate care options for their children.
“They tell us they feel socially isolated and burnt out as they go to extremes to find makeshift care solutions, like working through the night, to stay financially afloat and make sure their kids are looked after.
“Farming families are another group stranded without appropriate care options, so the demand for agriculture workers is going unmet. Without farmers, our plates are empty.
“The lack of care in country towns means that everyone loses: children, parents, business, essential health and education services and Australia’s wider economy.”
In May this year, The Parenthood and more than 50 leading organisations spanning health, education and agriculture launched the Access for Every Child Rural Coalition in Canberra.
They are calling for stronger government management of the early childhood education and care system so that every family that wants access can have it. 70 percent of the current system is privately run.
“Governments can fix this. Early childhood education and care cannot be left to the private sector alone. Private providers aren’t setting up shop in many country towns because there’s no guarantee of a profit. But this is an essential service that children, families and communities need.
“The Federal Government’s wage rise for early childhood educators was the first step towards a universal system where every child has access. Further incentives are needed to address educator shortages in regional, rural and remote communities.
“Access to early childhood education and care should not depend on your postcode, or how much you earn. Governments must step up to take the pressure off of regional, rural and remote parents and make sure their families are no longer disadvantaged,” said Ms Butler.
Read ‘IMPACTFUL’. Featured Parents, carers, educators and community leaders are available for media. Read the The Parenthood's Access for Every Child Joint Statement here.
