'I was on 14 waiting lists... there was nowhere for my child to go'

“I was told from the start, don’t be picky, and if you have to travel 40 minutes each way, tough."

Michelle Barker was meant to be a primary school teacher in Australia. That’s what her visa said at least.

The 36-year-old mother-of-two moved to NSW’s Central Coast from Manchester, in the UK, with her husband and children on Australia Day last year, and was instantly faced with a crisis.

“I was invited by the NSW Government (to work) because there is a shortage (of primary school teachers),” she told Kidspot.

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“My main barrier when we moved was there was no childcare available whatsoever.”

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Michelle Barker with her husband and two children. Picture: Supplied

"There was no possibility of me working"

This was a problem for Michelle, who had an 11-month-old daughter and a five-year-old son at the time.

“There was no possibility of me working,” she said. “I was offered a job in Sydney, but I had to turn it down because I just couldn’t find any childcare.

“The whole process seemed very supportive. Australia is here, they’ve got your back to get your feet on the ground and start working, but there was a block in the way because there was nowhere for my child to go.

“It was quite a stressful time, and it put a lot of pressure on us. We had some funds left from the sale of our house in the UK, so we could afford to live, but Elsie was on waitlists for six months before she was offered only one day.”

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The Barkers before their big move down under. Picture: Supplied

"I had to find something I could do from home"

Michelle’s husband quickly got a job working for an American-based IT company, but Michelle still needed to find a source of income.

She turned her attention to the possibility of starting a business, something that had been a “dream” of hers.

“I’d always had this retirement dream to own a bra shop by the sea,” she said.

“I worked as a professional bra fitter for four years, and I’ve had a lifelong obsession for finding women their right fit.

“I was in a position where I needed to consider a business, or at least find something I could do working from home, so I started on June 1.”

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Michelle was on 14 waiting lists for her daughter before she was offered a childcare place. Picture: Supplied

"I had to seize the opportunity"

The business she started was Shell Lingerie, a bra-fitting studio Michelle runs from her home.

Her business came not only from her previous dreams, but also from a lack of options for “fuller-busted” women when trying to find bras.

“I was wondering where I’d get my bras from, and the answer really was nowhere,” she said. “I had to go to Sydney.

“That led me to think there were probably plenty of other women who struggle finding good quality bras, and I had to seize the opportunity.”

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Michelle now runs a bra-fitting business from home. Picture: Supplied

"Women deserve better than this"

Michelle quickly grew her business thanks to the REACH program run by local marketing mentor Mandy Millan, and now has more than 100 regular clients.

“It’s growing, and it’s really exciting,” she said.

“We’ve become a community of women who are realising there’s not a lot of education about bra fitting in Australia.

“Women are fed information about needing to get their bras measured, which is an outdated method. It suggests everyone fits into boxes, and you can simply add or takeaway inches.

“I believe women deserve better than that, and I help empower and educate them.”

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Michelle working with one of her clients. Picture: Supplied

"I was on 14 waiting lists"

However, despite her quick success, Michelle still faced trouble finding childcare for her daughter.

“I was on 14 waiting lists,” she said. “I was told from the start to get yourself on as many lists as you can, don’t be picky, and if you have to travel 40 minutes each way, tough.

“I was phoning every daycare every month to check in, and I was sending emails every month as well.

“Every centre was lovely and supportive and understanding, and they were trying their best, but there wasn’t much around.

“We got offered one day at a centre in the complete opposite direction from my son’s school, so it was a 40-minute round trip.

“It eventually became three days, which was great, but it was an effort in terms of travel.

“In November we got a call from a centre that’s much closer to our new house who said they could potentially offer my daughter a place in the new year.

“I was sad to leave the old centre, but now I travel on one road, it takes 15 minutes, and I can get my workday started earlier.”

Originally published as 'I was on 14 waiting lists... there was nowhere for my child to go'