Actor and advocate Madeleine West wants parents to be paid to stay home with their kids
The former Neighbours star has called for a revamp of the childcare subsidy system to allow payments to be made to parents, grandparents and nannies.
Actress turned advocate Madeleine West has joined thousands of parents urging the Albanese government to revamp Australia’s childcare subsidy scheme by paying parents to care for their own children.
The former Neighbours star and child safety campaigner is calling for current subsidies to be expanded so grandparents, nannies and even parents themselves can receive funding for providing care in the wake of the country’s childcare crisis.
West, a mother-of-seven, said while she qualifies for cheaper childcare, her own experiences as a child sexual abuse survivor meant she was not comfortable placing her children into the childcare system.
“I know some people operate under a misapprehension that if you’re an actor or in the public space that money grows on trees – it most certainly does not,” she told the Saturday Herald Sun.
“I’ve been taking my daughter with me to work but that does not work for everyone.
“That’s why expanding subsidies is common sense.
“It would put me, like other mums, in a position where I can be completely present with my kids.”
West, who leads online safety organisation CTRL+Shift, said while many parents felt “guilty” dropping their kids at childcare they simply had no other choice.
“What we need is a childcare system where harm can’t hide,” she said.
“And within a family unit or family daycare, harm can’t hide for very long – and that’s what safety looks like.”
Her calls follow a petition by advocacy group, For Parents, which urges the Albanese government to allow eligible families to direct their existing subsidy to a broader range of care options.
The Change.org petition, signed by more than 12,000 parents and carers, comes in the wake of child sex abuse allegations against Victorian childcare worker Joshua Brown.
“Right now, most families can only access the taxpayer-funded childcare subsidy for centre-based daycare,” co-founder Jen Fleming said.
“This system funnels money into the pockets of for-profit childcare owners – some of whom cut corners and sacrifice quality and child safety for profit margins.”
Signatory, Seddon mum-of-two Alison Wheeler, has been forced to rely on nannies and babysitters as she juggles business and breastfeeding.
“But they’re not covered by the subsidy so it’s quite expensive and there are huge wait lists for private childcare,” she said.
“Expanding the subsidy would mean I could have it all.
“I could breastfeed my baby, spend quality time with my children and run my business from home.”
When the Sunday Herald Sun asked whether the federal government was open to expanding subsidies a spokesman pointed to comments made by Education Minister Jason Clare last month.
“That’s not something the government is considering,” he had said.
Ms Fleming said it was “disappointing” that the Albanese government wasn’t open to listening to the “tens of thousand of parents who want change”.
“Families need real options now and it’s time for the government to act,” she said.
Opposition education and early learning spokesman Jonno Duniam said the Coalition was open to the idea, noting many regional families simply do not have access to childcare services.
“This is something that we, as a country, need to have a conversation about,” he said.
“If a family believes that a particular arrangement other than putting their children through childcare is the best for them, then governments should be encouraging this flexibility, not inhibiting it.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Actor and advocate Madeleine West wants parents to be paid to stay home with their kids
