United Voice News
ACT Children’s Services Minister to launch plan to fix childcare crisis
The ACT Government is getting behind today’s ACT launch of the LHMU BIG STEPS in childcare campaign to reform childcare and to create the best early childhood education and care system for children, families and the economy.
“Quality and reliable childcare is a critical issue for people in the ACT. We have a high proportion of dual income families and a transient population many of whom do not have the support of an extended family,” says Lyndal Ryan ACT Branch Secretary of the LHMU, the Childcare Union.
“The annual turnover of ACT childcare workers is a shocking 47%: that’s bad for children, families and the ACT economy. This level of staff turnover is expensive and undermines government support for families.
“The BIG STEPS in childcare campaign has solutions to reverse this turnover and improve quality standards in childcare which provide:
- High quality integrated care and education for children
- Accessible and affordable support for parents
- Support for working parents and the Australian economy
“This can only happen with support for existing childcare professionals, who are the backbone of quality care and education. Key to this is providing financial support for training, as well as improved recognition for professionals already committed to children
“The Australian Government has made childcare reform a priority, committing close to one billion dollars to reform Australia’s childcare system, including $533.5 million for 15 hours of early childhood education for children in the year before formal schooling and $126 million for a Childcare Workforce Strategy.
The campaign will be launched by Katy Gallagher, ACT Minister for Children and Young People, with guest speakers Senator Kate Lundy, Senator for ACT and Pam Cahir, CEO of Early Childhood Australia (ECA). ECA leads the working alliance supporting the BIG STEPS in childcare campaign. Other members are leading academics and peak groups including the National Association for Community Based Children’s Services.
“We’re delighted by Minister Gallagher’s and Senator Lundy’s support for BIG STEPS in childcare. This is a welcome indication of Federal and Territory willingness to work together to reform the sector and retain these workers so young children in the ACT can get the care and education they need,” says Lyndal Ryan.
People attending the launch will symbolically take BIG STEPS by pasting cut out feet onto cardboard. Adina Cirson, Labor candidate for Ginninderra, will be the first ACT parent to sign the BIG STEPS Pledge to advocate for quality care and education.
