Benefits of early learning ‘must be open to all’

Queensland mother of two Karra Johnstone has enjoyed watching her boys thrive as a result of ­attending preschool.

Karra Johnstone, husband Alex and sons Blake, 4, left, and Angus, 6, at home in Clifton, two hours west of Brisbane. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen.

Queensland mother of two Karra Johnstone has enjoyed watching her boys thrive as a result of ­attending preschool.

Angus, 6, who is now at primary school, benefited from the social interaction with children his own age and four-year-old Blake has learned a range of skills that will hold him in good stead when he starts prep next year.

However, accessing quality early education on a consistent basis hasn’t always been easy.

Ms Johnstone’s husband, Alex, works as a diesel fitter, while she takes care of the boys and volunteers as show secretary for the Gatton Quarter Horse and Performance Association.

It’s a job where she could be working close to full-time in the week leading up to a show, but only a day or two the next, making accessing the government subsidy that offsets the $105-a-day fee at the local childcare centre, which also offers a preschool program, challenging.

“Last year, Blake was in day­care one day a week due to the cost and also the hours I was doing — we weren’t eligible for more hours at that stage,” Ms Johnstone said, referring to the activity test that typically restricts subsidised childcare to families where both parents are engaged in a minimum number of hours of work, study or volunteering.

“This year we’ve got him in three days a week and we get the subsidy and it’s great. I have time to get work done and it benefits him in terms of his learning.”

Under current arrangements, Australia’s federal, state and territory governments jointly fund 15 hours of preschool for four-year-olds but the contract is set to ­expire at the end of this year.

The federal government, which contributes about a third of the funding, has come under pressure to provide certainty beyond the end of the year.

According to the preschool lobby, the loss of federal funding would mean families would on average need to find an extra $2000 per child each year.

They fear many children, particularly those most vulnerable, could miss out.

Federal Labor seized the upper hand late last year when it made a $1.75 billion pledge to extend preschool funding to three-year-olds, leaving the Coalition exposed on the issue leading into the May election.

Australian Childcare Alliance president Paul Mondo said ­affordable access to early learning was a priority for many Aus­tralian families.

The ACA has been calling for a revision to the parameters of the childcare subsidy so that all families qualify regardless of their circumstances, as well as new arrangements allowing the long daycare sector to be recognised as a provider of funded preschool programs.

Ms Johnstone said she supported moves to increase access to preschool services to young children, including three-year-olds, and was disappointed that the federal government hadn’t made an allocation in the budget. “That’s something I would have loved for my children,” she said. “Hopefully they will think about the importance of early education ahead of the next election.”