May was incredibly busy at The Parenthood HQ. We went to Canberra and Sydney, kicked off the Access for Every Child Coalition and attended the launch of 2024 National Working Families Report - find all the details and more in our Newsletter.
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Hello!
Another month has passed and May was jam-packed for us at The Parenthood HQ.
Maddy and Michael were at Parliament House in Canberra last week for a major milestone - launching the Access for Every Child Coalition. A mammoth 52 organisations signed a joint statement calling for action to deliver equitable early childhood education in regional, rural, and remote areas of the country. We had parents in Canberra to tell decision makers how this issue holds back children, families and communities. Our advocacy won’t stop until this issue is resolved.
The 2024 National Working Families Report shows - unsurprisingly - that stress among parents trying to combine work and care is growing. New data has put Australia's declining birth rate in the news and we’re keen to investigate ourselves with a short survey.
There have been major announcements for early childhood education and the early years with the launch of the Commonwealth Early Years Strategy, the provision of funds for a wage increase for early education and governments in Queensland and South Australia making landmark investments in the early years.
Read more on all of the above below and stay well.
Til next time,
Georgie
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NEW CAMPAIGN: ACCESS FOR EVERY CHILD
Last week, the Access for Every Child Coalition, supported by 52 organisations and led by The Parenthood, launched a joint statement at Parliament House in Canberra. We are calling on the Federal Government and State and Territory Governments to ensure all children in regional, rural and remote areas receive equitable access to early childhood education.
We need your help to show we’re serious - by sending your local state politicians an email about the joint statement. It’s super easy - with a customisable template - and won’t take more than two minutes! If you agree that every child regardless of their location, should have access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education and care.
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SURVEY: BABY FEVER OR BABY FREEZE - WHAT’S HOLDING YOU BACK?
Hey there, potential-pondering parents! The birth rate in Australia is at an all-time record low, so if you have major reservations about taking the plunge and either starting or growing a family you are not alone. From sky-high housing costs, to the eye-watering $12 price tag on a single packet of grated cheese, to early learning fees comparable with private school, there are many financial factors at play.
We know some of the reasons Australians aren’t reproducing at the rates they once did but we want to know YOUR thinking.
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FANTASTIC NEWS FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The SA Government has announced a $715 million commitment in the upcoming budget to roll out preschool for three-year-olds! This investment, guided by the recommendations of the Early Learning Royal Commission chaired by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, aims to transform early childhood education in South Australia over the next decade.
“We congratulate the South Australian Government for their leadership and for taking necessary steps to make quality early childhood education and care more accessible and affordable for all families and children across the state," says The Parenthood CEO, Georgie Dent, in our media release.
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RESEARCH SHOWS: STRESS IS GROWING AMONG WORKING PARENTS
The results of the 2024 National Working Families Survey highlight that combining work and family commitments increasingly takes a toll on parents, and that women bear the brunt. The survey results - conducted by our partners Parents At Work and UNICEF Australia and completed by over 6,200 working parents and carers, were presented in Sydney last week.
One of the key findings showed that 74% of women reported feeling stressed balancing work and family commitments (compared to 47% of men). You can find more key findings, a detailed report, and solutions on how to better support working families here.
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