Expert reveals solutions for increasing childcare demand in Geelong

A Geelong childcare worker has explained the high stress she lives with, as the sector struggles to keep up with demand and wait times for spots continue to climb. SEARCH THE MAP

Rebecca Goldsworthy, pictured with son Joey, is among the mothers who struggled to find minimal childcare options for their children. Picture: Brad Fleet

Pregnant Geelong women are putting their unborn children on years-long childcare waitlists while workers are suffering intense stress as the region struggles to meet the demand for services.

A Geelong Advertiser investigation has revealed the extent of Geelong’s childcare squeeze, with many parents waiting years for a spot for their child.

When she was three months pregnant, Eboni Valys said she thought she’d get ahead and put her unborn son on the waitlist for childcare, but the Armstrong Creek resident was told by several centres the wait was years.

She’s not alone – Danielle O’Connell signed her second child up when she was still pregnant.

The Winchelsea resident said she was advised to do so by the director of the centre her first child was enrolled at because of the “massive influx” of children being born.

Ms O’Connell said even with a child already enrolled, there was no guarantee of a spot.

Armstrong Creek mum Eboni Valys said finding a childcare spot for her son Jonathan was more difficult than anticipated. Picture: Supplied

About 6 per cent of all City of Greater Geelong residents are in the 0-4 age group, making it the fourth largest municipality of children in Victoria.

Waitlist lengths vary throughout the region, with some areas seeing them blow out to three years.

Ms Valys said the situation was “scary”.

She said she wanted to return to work as a nurse, but without childcare available, couldn’t.

“I’m not asking for five days a week, just one or two, to get him around other kids,” she said.

“I’m happy being home with my son and not working while he’s still so young, but there will be a point where I want to go back to work.

“Childcare centres aren’t keeping up with the demand. I understand it’s hard to keep up with all the children … but you’re trying to grow your family and do the right thing – I’m just worried about what’s going to happen.”

Fellow mother Rebecca Goldsworthy said waitlists lengths were “quite shocking”.

The Charlemont resident said she was only recently able to secure a family daycare spot for her 11-month-old son Joey.

“That’s only because it’s just opening, in our suburb,” she said.

“We were madly scrambling.

“We’re not after full-time care, just two days so I can go back to work.

“It’s already hard for working parents to get back into the workforce after having a child, so not having services readily available makes it extremely difficult.

“It shouldn’t be that hard.”

So far in 2023, Geelong council has received seven planning applications for childcare centres – one for a new centre and six for extensions and alterations to existing centres.

In 2022, there were 12 applications received, including seven for new centres.

Surf Coast Shire hasn’t received any childcare centres applications this year, and in 2022 received one.

Golden Plains Shire has received one application so far this year, and didn’t receive any in 2022.

There are no childcare centres in the Borough of Queenscliffe.

A Victorian government spokesperson said while childcare fees and availability were a federal matter, “we know more can be done”.

A federal spokesperson said the federal government was aware of the challenges faced by families and the ongoing workforce pressures affecting the availability of services.

“We are committed to working across government, with our state and territory colleagues and with the sector, to address these challenges,” they said.

A Geelong childcare worker says her stress levels are sky high because of the pressures her industry is facing.

They said the government had directed the ACCC to investigate early childhood education and care prices and the supply of services. The government has also asked the Productivity Commission to look at how to improve affordability and access to childcare in the long term.

Ms O’Connell has insight into both sides of the situation – as a parent and kinder teacher.

She said there needed to be more advanced planning for new estates and expanding current services.

Ms O’Connell said there was an “incredibly frustrating” flow-on effect, where parents would sign children up at multiple centres to make sure they get a spot, creating longer waitlists everywhere.

Ms O’Connell said there were a maximum of 30 children in a room, and a 1:11 teacher-child ratio.

She said there were “massive” staff shortages due to the pandemic.

“I definitely think the government needs to prioritise putting more funding into early childhood education,” she said.

“They’re wanting mums to go back to work, but how do we that without the services to allow us to?

“It’s bizarre.”

Ms Goldsworthy said there needed to be more awareness of how bad the situation was.

“We need stackloads more workers, and more centres built,” she said.

“There needs to be something to entice people to become childcare workers.”

Rachel (not her real name) has worked at a Geelong childcare centre since January, 2022, and said her stress levels were sky high.

Ms Goldsworthy, pictured with son Joey, said there needed to be “stackloads” more workers, and more to entice people to enter the field. Picture: Brad Fleet

The 19-year-old said she suffered from dermatitis in her hands because of constant cleaning, with the job being both physically and mentally draining for workers.

Rachel said she was expected to do at least an hour of overtime most days, particularly on a 7.30am to 3.30pm shift.

She said this was mostly because of ratio requirements and staff shortages.

According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, full-time childcare support workers and children’s services employees are paid a minimum $878 weekly rate, and directors a minimum $1413.30 weekly rate.

Rachel said there needed to be better pay for workers, who were often seen as “glorified babysitters”.

“There’s so much involved,” she said.

“It’s very physically hard and mentally draining.”

Rachel said there was a high turnover of staff and she had lost count of how many had left in her time in the industry.

“It’s really difficult to find staff who stick around longer than a few months,” she said.

“I think this is due to the low pay and how difficult the work is.”

Rachel said a small change that could make a big difference would be a regular deep clean, because it would reduce the amount workers needed to clean daily.

The Gordon TAFE’s vocational education manager Colleen Moreland said the government needed to pay early childhood educators more, which would mean an increased number of people interested in the profession.

She said while centres were “screaming out” for workers, the number of people interested was low, and current students had reported they would be paid more working at a supermarket.

Originally published as Expert reveals solutions for increasing childcare demand in Geelong