Qld childcare centre crisis as parents told to enrol kids before they are born

One woman trying to enrol her child in Queensland childcare “rang 33 centres without any luck”, says a centre operator who also warned staff were “pushed to the limit” from burnout.

Childcare centres throughout Queensland are struggling with such severe workforce shortages they have been left with no choice but to cap enrolments. Pictured, Celine, Haewon, operator Pam Maclean and Melia at Maroochydore. Photo: Patrick Woods.

Queensland parents are being told to enrol in childcare before their child is born or potentially miss out on spaces, with centres forced to cap numbers, industry insiders have warned.

New survey data released on Tuesday by the Australian Childcare Alliance revealed dozens of Queensland childcare centres are struggling with chronic workforce shortages.

In one week in February, more than 200 Queensland centres confirmed they had capped enrolments, meaning nearly 7000 places were cut off from families, the survey found.

In March, nearly 100 centres surveyed reported having to cap enrolments.

Alliance president Paul Mondo said Queensland centres were not immune to the national workforce shortages of about 10,000, and warned this was the “tip of the iceberg”.

He said enrolments had to be capped to meet the legal ratio requirements of educators to children.

Maroochydore childcare director Pam Maclean with Celine and Melia. Picture: Patrick Woods

Mr Mondo said it put families under pressure to come up with alternative arrangements, such as working from home, not working that day or delay returning to work.

“As a long-term strategy, many services are reducing the number of enrolments they take on as they know they simply no longer have capacity to do so,” Mr Mondo said.

“In the short term, many services are forced to manage expectations on a day-to-day basis when staff are absent due to illness, by contacting families with a regular place and letting them know they can’t take their child that day due to staff shortages.”

Veteran childcare educator of more than 40 years, Pam Maclean, said her centre had reduced capacity in two of its rooms from 20 to 15 spaces, meaning up to 10 families would have to look elsewhere.

Ms Maclean, the director of Out and About Care and Education at Maroochydore, said her centre was about five or six educators short.

She said the staff available staff were “pushed to the limit” from burnout, and left feeling guilty about taking sick days or annual leave.

“On a daily basis, many centres like us are have having to say sorry to parents,” Ms Maclean said.

“We just don’t have enough staff to manage.

“Other centres are the same or having worse problems, some have to shut down for a day.

“It’s a massive struggle – particularly for regional – and to remove it would be even worse.”

For expecting parents looking to re-enter the workforce as soon as possible, Ms Maclean suggested they inquire about getting on waiting lists before birth.

“Absolutely enrol at birth,” she said.

“Ring up and inquire early. We suggest plan three to four months before birth and keep in touch.

“There are less babies in the room so it becomes an issue for availability.

“I had one lady tell me she rang 33 centres without any luck.”

Director Pam Maclean of Out and About Care and Education at Maroochydore with Celine, Haewon and Melia. Picture: Patrick Woods

Mr Mondo said the industry was calling on a “significant” investment from the federal government to increase wages and attract more workers to the sector.

It comes on the back of new Productivity Commission data that showed a Queensland family earning a combined $175,000 a year are spending 6 per cent of their disposable income on childcare.

Some financial relief will be available from July 1, with the maximum childcare subsidy increased from 85 per cent to 90 per cent as part of a $5.6bn scheme from the Albanese government.

United Workers Union early education director Helen Gibbons. Picture: Supplied

United Workers Union early education director Helen Gibbons said the sector was at breaking point due to the worsening crisis.

“Our members in many services across the country are reporting that waiting lists for new families wanting to enrol are blowing out,” Ms Gibbons said.

“With existing families already looking to increase the number of days their children attend a service in anticipation of higher subsidies kicking in after 1 July, these issues are only set to get worse.

“Without a (further) commitment from government, even more educators will leave the sector, and put even more pressure on families’ ability to secure the quality affordable early-learning they need for their children.”