Huge lack of childcare across the regions is laid bare in study by Victoria University’s Mitchell Institute

The areas in which SA parents struggle hardest to find childcare for their youngsters have been laid bare, as new figures reveal which areas also have it easiest. See the list.

More than 800,000 South Australians are living in an area with an acute shortage of child care, a report by Victoria University’s Mitchell Institute has found.

The review, which assessed childcare provision across the country, deemed 36 per cent of greater metropolitan residents to be living in “childcare deserts”, along with 82 per cent of regional South Australians.

These are areas where three or more children under four are vying for each childcare space.

The report found Adelaide’s wealthiest suburbs had an abundance of childcare places, but almost all of South Australia’s rural areas had five or more children for each place.

Yorke Peninsula was the worst affected region and Tumby Bay, Kingston and Mannum were among the dozen towns across the country with 1500 or more people and no childcare.

Yorke Peninsula Council recently received $2.25m from the federal government to help set up a childcare centre at Minlaton.

Yorke Peninsula Council mayor Darren Braund says his council has won bushfire recovery funding to build a childcare centre. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

“We have 45 little communities and because most of them are under 1000 people, it’s not viable for a normal child care centre to set up,” Mayor Darren Braund said.

“We have people moving away because they can’t get child care.”

He said state and federal governments should share the responsibility of ensuring families had sufficient access to child care.

“There needs to be some subsidy to make it worthwhile for operators in rural areas because it just doesn’t add up for them otherwise,” Mr Braund said.

Stokes Bay's Stephanie Wurst with husband Tom and children Charlotte, 4, Georgia, 7, and Jack, 10. Picture: Supplied

In the lead up to the state and federal elections, parents in Kangaroo Island, Crystal Brook and Kingston SE called for pledges from the major parties to address a lack of child care and after school care.

Stephanie Wurst, who is helping set up a new centre in Parndana on Kangaroo Island, was pleased the report had laid bare the need for more care across the state.

Federal Opposition spokeswoman for early childhood education and development Amanda Rishworth said the government had neglected early education, and as “a result too many families across South Australia are unable to access affordable child care”.

“In addition to our plan to make child care cheaper, Labor has committed to two comprehensive reviews of the system through the ACCC and Productivity Commission,” she said.

Acting Federal Education Minister Stuart Robert said the government had invested about $11bn in childcare in 2022-23.

It was also completing a market strategy, which would help identify “thin markets and areas of need, and tailor solutions”.

Top 5 SA areas with sufficient childcare places

Adelaide City – 1.4 children per place

Norwood, Payneham & St Peters – 1.5 children

Unley – 1.6

Prospect and Walkerville – 1.8

Burnside – 1.8

Areas with the greatest shortfall

Greater Adelaide

Playford – 4 children per place

Salisbury – 3.4

Tea Tree Gully – 3.4

Adelaide Hills – 3.4

Port Adelaide – West 3.3

Gawler and Two Wells – 3.2

Regional

Yorke Peninsula – 9 children per place

Mid North – 8

Eyre Peninsula and West – 7

Limestone Coast – 5

Outback North and West – 5

Murray and Mallee – 4.7

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