Regional families are struggling to find childcare options for their children

The absence of accessible and ­affordable early childhood education and care is threatening the viability of rural towns.

The shortage of childcare services is worse in rural areas where about three children compete for every childcare place.

The absence of accessible and ­affordable early childhood education and care in regional Australia is exacerbating cost-of-living pressures and threatening the viability of rural towns.

Designed for higher-income urban areas, the childcare sector is failing to meet the needs of the bush, according to a report by advocacy group The Parenthood.

It shows some workers in regional areas, including nurses and teachers, are having to reduce their working hours or stop working because they cannot access care for their children.

Farming families are also left without many options for childcare, meaning demand for agri­culture workers is going unmet.

“The lack of care in country towns means everyone loses: children, parents, business, ­health and education services and the wider economy,” The Parenthood campaign director Maddy Butler said.

While families in capital cities also find it difficult to find available places for childcare, the shortage of services is worse in rural areas where about three children compete for every childcare place.

A poll of 855 regional, rural and remote parents conducted by the organisation this year found 86 per cent of parents were facing financial stress because of their difficulty in accessing care for their children.

“Country towns are no longer the affordable and relaxed places to raise children they once were,” Ms Butler said.

“Having more accessible early learning services has the power to change that. Regional, rural and remote parents’ mental health is suffering as they navigate searching and waiting for early learning spots, making alternative arrangements and juggling caring responsibilities with paid work. It shouldn’t be this complicated.”

The Parenthood report calls for greater government management of the early childhood education and care system, which is 70 per cent privately run.

“Private providers aren’t setting up shop in many country towns because there’s no guarantee of a profit,” Ms Butler said.

“But this is an essential service that children, families and communities need. Governments must step up to take the pressure off of regional, rural and remote parents and make sure their families are no longer disadvantaged.”

Rachael Lane, who lives in Lismore in northern NSW, had to switch to working night shifts stacking supermarket shelves because of a lack of daycare availability for her two-year-old daughter Sadie.

She cares for Sadie and manages the household during the day while her partner is at work, and then works from 7pm until midnight.

“It’s definitely stopping any form of financial progression,” Ms Lane said.

“I can’t take other jobs because I’m not sure I can get care for Sadie.”