Childcare centres are capping enrolments as staff crisis bites in SA

Families are being frozen out of childcare centres as severe staff shortages hit the industry hard.

Childcare centres are struggling with such severe workforce shortages they are having to cap enrolments.

The Australian Childcare Alliance has released a survey of member-centres – including 19 in SA — during one week in February this year.

Of the 627 centres surveyed nationally, enrolment caps denied 16,300 places to families over the period.

In another week, in May this year, the centres were asked again, and this time half of those responding had been forced to cap enrolments due to the ongoing workforce shortages.

Childcare enrolment caps have denied 16,300 places to families nationally.

ACA President, Paul Mondo, said the shortage of qualified early childhood educators and teachers is the single most pressing issue facing Australia’s early learning sector.

“Right now, we urgently need at least 10,000 well-trained, competent early childhood educators and teachers to fill vacancies,” he said.

“We simply do not have enough people to meet the demand for early learning and care, while also remaining compliant with the educator-ratios put in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and staff alike.

“To attract and retain the educators we urgently need, we are calling for a significant investment from the Australian Government to increase wages and attract more workers into the sector.”

Interested parties are banding together to find a solution to the problem through a “supported bargaining authorisation” lodged in the Far Work Commission this month.

Some childcare centres, three staff unions and the Federal Government will work together to improve wages for the sector.

“Early childhood education and care is essential to ensure Australian children get the best start in life, and that will only be possible when we significantly strengthen the workforce” Mr Mondo said.