United Voice

Childcare professionals Dianne Gloyn, Jacinta Leighton and Jodie Thiele joined Sue Lines, LHMU Assistant National Secretary, to speak in support of LHMU's submission to the Inquiry on behalf of the more than 100,000 workers in this sector.

"Childcare workers are frankly relieved that reform of early childhood education and care is finally a national priority," says Sue Lines.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to change the childcare sector for the better - for children, families and the workforce. Critical areas of reform to make this happen include:

Qualifications

Childcare workers are time poor, low pay at all levels in the sector and a lack of a career path all provide structural impediments which must be removed before expectations of higher qualification can be met.

Wages

Credible stakeholders agree that childcare professionals are underpaid. Generally earning between $15 and $19 per hour they are approximately $10 per hour behind the established key classifications for similarly qualified workers. The low wages contributes to high staff turnover (32% pa) and is a barrier to workers improving their qualifications. For example, workers receive only $1.94 per hour more for upgrading from a Certificate III to a Diploma - hardly an incentive for the significant additional regulatory responsibilities that come with the higher qualification. Childcare employers are on record supporting higher wages.

Funding

This financial year $3.1 billion is forecast to be spent on the Childcare Benefit ($1.98b) and the Childcare Rebate ($1.12b). Yet neither of these directly impacts on quality care, wages or availability. This system provides incentives to operators to increase fees, adding to the cost of childcare, as well as locking low-income families out of childcare. LHMU proposes a public inquiry into how this substantial taxpayer funding can be better utilised. LHMU recommends redirecting the Rebate into a direct tied payment to centres to lift wages to a professional level secured through a registered industrial agreement.

Planning

The current total reliance on a demand, rather than a supply model, impacts on availability of places, costs, access to childcare and quality. Childcare is essential social, educational and economic infrastructure yet we have under- supply in some areas and over-supply in others. Government must develop a model for the development of new centres and the sustainability of existing centres.

"LHMU welcomes the commitment by all of Australia's governments to the new national childcare strategy and looks forward to working with them on making it a reality," says Sue Lines.

What childcare professionals say:

If I could change one thing about childcare it would be the pay and recognition. It's terrible for all the responsibility, it's ridiculous. None of the reforms being talked about can happen if the wages don't improve.

I've thought about it and thought about it and the pay is the beginning of everything.

I love being involved in the children's lives and being part of a team with people with similar goals but I know childcare can't attract people who want to make a career because they can't afford to stay and work in the sector.

- Dianne Gloyn, childcare professional for 23 years

Interactions with children are the best thing about my work. The worst is all the time I spend working outside paid working hours. We get two hours a week programming time but that isn't enough, especially for preparing the children's portfolios. I spend hours and hours working on them in my own time. That needs to change and so do the qualifications because they are a guarantee of high quality.

- Jacinta Leighton, childcare professional for 4 years

Staff to child ratios and the money need to change. We do the work of a teacher but we don't get the recognition or the pay. Apart from the nappies, the worst thing is the pay. Although the job is rewarding the pay is so bad it's not motivating. It's so hard trying to live on the pay.

- Jodie Thiele, childcare professional for 6 years