NT childcare centres meeting National Quality Framework targets

While the country braces for childcare fees to rise by a predicted $10 a day to meet new national benchmarks, Darwin parents can breathe a sigh of relief

New government childcare ratios mean some centres will increase fees from January 1st - NOT Le Creche which already operates within new ratios. Director, Louise de Bomford-Scott enjoys some play with the little people, Nash Cameron, Alexi Van Nieuwburg, Annie Hewitt and Hayden Cavenagh.

While the country braces for childcare fees to rise by a predicted $10 a day from Friday to meet new national benchmarks, Darwin parents can breathe a sigh of relief with NT centres already abiding by the strict criteria.

The Territory is one of only three jurisdictions that meet the National Quality Framework targets, which outline how many carers per children are required at child care centres.

From January 1 next year, childcare centres in NSW, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria, will be forced to meet higher staff to children ratios under the final stage of the rollout of the former Labor government’s National Quality Framework.

National educator to child ratios from the ages of two to three moves to one carer to five children, and ages three to five will require one carer to 11 children. For children aged under two years the ratios remain one carer to four.

The framework, which is broadly supported by the industry, is predicted to cost $1.6 billion over the 10 years to 2019, with parents wearing about half of that cost.

Darwin’s largest child care centre, La Creche at The Avenue, is one of the NT centres that has met the benchmarks since opening in Darwin 18 months ago.

“We’ve already been operating with the new ratios,” owner Louise de Bomford-Scott said.