United Voice News
ACT's Senator Kate Lundy walks in the shoes of childcare professionals
LHMU, the childcare union, wants politicians in the run up to the federal election to gain a real understanding of the many challenges childcare professionals face. There is no better way to understand this than to see it first hand, so today Senator for the ACT Kate Lundy will spend time in Bruce Ridge Early Childhood centre ‘walking in the shoes’ of a childcare professional.
The "Walk in My Shoes" challenge is a chance for politicians to really experience the life of a childcare professional. They see first hand the outstanding education and care childcare professionals provide and learn how poorly paid they are for the work they do.
Yvette Berry LHMU official said ‘We really want to educate our future parliamentarians about the realities of the sector. We hope to create a group of childcare champions who can draw on these experiences when contributing to childcare policy and debate’.
Senator Lundy will spend the morning participating in the early childhood program which includes everything for supporting children in their personal care such as tying shoelaces right through to important tasks such as supporting pre-reading activities.
“I feel very privileged to have been invited to walk in the shoes of some of our early childhood educators. Like so many professional women in Canberra I have relied on the essential services provided by dedicated childcare professionals. I have long campaigned for improvements to the wages and conditions in the childcare sector but today I can in a small way really experience what it is like to perform such important work,” Senator Lundy said.
Jessica Berghauser, LHMU member, thinks this is a great way of showing decision makers what life on the frontline of childcare is like. “We are passionate about quality care and education and we are proud of what we do. We believe so much more could be achieved in our field with improved training, better wages and lower staff to child ratios. This is what our union’s Big Steps campaign is all about. We are delighted Senator Lundy has agreed to be our champion and is walking in our shoes today.”
LHMU hopes this experience will underline to politicians the importance of the proposed improved child to childcare professional ratios and the need for continued funding of the sector. LHMU official Yvette Berry said ‘We hope Senator Lundy will see today how important it is that childcare professionals have adequate time with children and can acknowledge the mismatch between the wages paid and the responsibility placed on these workers.”
Is the rally still on in September and will it be effective given that it will be after the election?
Sue, The lack of recognition for dedicated people like you who work so hard delivering the best possible quality care under the most challenging circumstance is unacceptable. BIG STEPS is working to change that. Since its launch BIG STEPS childcare members have won:
• Improved staff to child ratios
• Quality reforms, including minimum qualification requirements
• In the ACT portable long service leave scheme for childcare professionals - an historic first!
• A new childcare champion - Senator Kate Lundy
But more needs to happen. BIG STEPS is ambitious. It is a big campaign with big asks. Yes, the rally is still going ahead. It will be an effective way to hold our champions accountable if elected. It is also an opportunity to get parents and community supporters on board.
See you at the rally.
Yvette Berry, ACT Branch Organising Coordinator