The Parenthood Newsletter February 2023

School and preschool is now back underway right around the country which is no doubt a huge relief for many. But the return and transition isn’t always easy. This week our CEO Georgie Dent was reminded of that. 

Dear friends and supporters,

School and preschool is now back underway right around the country which is no doubt a huge relief for many. But the return and transition isn’t always easy. This week our CEO was reminded of the heartache associated with watching a little person struggle with a new class or a new teacher or a new school. It’s agony. 

When Georgie shared how bruised her heart felt after a tough morning, it clearly struck a chord. Hundreds of parents shared their own experiences supporting their children through hard transitions. You can read her piece here. And know you are not alone if right now you’re carrying a huge invisible emotional load. 

Speaking of huge, over the weekend something big happened. The Federal government is developing an Early Years Strategy that recognises the importance of the first five years of a child’s life - and they want to hear from YOU.  

To ensure the strategy - the first of its kind - reflects the priorities of Australians they want to hear from parents, families, carers and caregivers, educators, early childhood professionals and other experts about a national approach that would benefit children and families. You can make a submission, read the discussion paper, fill out the survey here or let us know what you believe is needed. This is a moment to use your voice and perspective to help shape a national strategy to set children up for success. 

It’s only early February but the needs of parents and children are high on the national agenda. There has been a lot of media attention already this year  on affordability and accessibility of  early learning, about shocking waitlists, as well as the workforce shortages and the need for  better wages for early educators. 

Our CEO, Georgie Dent, was on The Today Show to explain how to make Australia a better place for parents and children.

We believe 2023 is a unique opportunity to prioritise support for children, parents and families. We’re looking forward to working with you all to make that a reality. See below for ways you can get involved. 

Have a great week and stay strong. 

The Parenthood team

EARLY YEARS SUMMIT
Our CEO, Georgie Dent, will attend the Early Years Summit on 17 February at Parliament House with a member representative. More than 100 experts and sector leaders across a variety of fields, along with families and service providers, will come together in Canberra to capture insights and aspirations for Australia’s children, and to inform the development of the  government’s Early Years Strategy. You can share your ideas on how to develop a Strategy that makes life better for Australian children and families here.

NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTION SURVEY
In less than 2 months people in New South Wales will vote for a new state government. We want to make some noise before the election and raise our voice for parents, carers and children! If you live in NSW, please take our survey and tell us what you want from politicians in NSW.

REGIONAL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER!
New national polling released by our partners from the Thrive by Five initiative shows almost all regional Australian families (91 per cent) report a sharp increase in early learning and care costs over the past three years. “It is inexcusable that in one of the richest countries in the world, we have families living in areas with such scarce access to early learning and care that they’re deemed to be childcare deserts,” says our CEO, Georgie Dent. Read more here. 

EARLY LEARNING AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY MAJOR ISSUES
In the last few weeks, media reports of daycare fees hikes, some as high as double digits, have again highlighted the importance of improving the affordability and accessibility of quality early childhood education and care. The average cost of child care is about $133 per day but there are suburbs in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne where families are paying closer to $200 per day. Our media release.