United Voice News
Union push for childcare sector boost
SA's LHMU Branch launches its childcare campaign to improve staff to child ratios and conditions for childcare workers.
LHMU - The childcare union says the
sector's staff turnover is far too high in South Australia.
Branch Secretary David Di Troia says the childcare sector has an annual staff
turnover rate of 60 per cent, about double the national average.
He says a campaign has been launched to lobby for better childcare resources in
SA.
"In some areas we have amongst the worst staff-to-child ratios," he
said.
"The current ratios that we have is one-to-five for children under the age
of two and one-to-10 for children three years and over.
"One of the things we really need to do is to build a professional
workforce, a highly-skilled workforce and a well-rewarded and well-paid
workforce. We are hopeful if that is achieved then staff turnover will
dramatically be reduced."
A childcare worker, Dianne Gloyn, says her work is often difficult.
"You get fantastic feedback from the children and there's wonderful
parents, but at the end of the day you just don't have enough time," she
said.
"You feel you don't have enough quality time to put back into those
children.
"Even if you're in a room with two staff, as soon as one staff is taken
off the floor to do things like change nappies, write observations, you're left
with 19 children with one staff person."
