Leading figures in early education call for changes to improve Tasmanian families’ access to child care

A chorus of influential Tasmanian voices is calling for the federal government to make sweeping changes to the childcare sector, saying not enough families have access to vital services.

Lady Gowrie Tasmania CEO Mat Rowell with Ava 3 and Charles 3 at the Integrated Centre, South Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

The federal government must urgently fix issues plaguing the childcare sector workforce, including ongoing recruitment and retention woes, Tasmanian early childhood education leaders say.

The B4 Early Years Coalition, established by the state government in 2016 as part of an effort to improve early learning and development across the island, says pay equity, access to training and professional development, and the quality of the workforce need to be key focuses.

It comes as the Productivity Commission is holding an inquiry into early childhood education and care (ECEC), examining cost and access barriers and ways to create better outcomes for children and their families.

In a joint submission to the inquiry, B4 co-chairs Elizabeth Daly, the former chair of the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation, and Leanne McLean, Tasmania’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, urged the Albanese government to ensure universal access to child care from birth.

Leanne McLean Tasmania's Commissioner for Children and Young People. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

They said remuneration in the sector created “disincentives to the workforce both to enter and be retained”.

“Tasmania has a highly dispersed population with many smaller regional and remote areas having insufficient numbers of children to enable ECEC service viability,” the B4 co-chairs said.

“This results in areas who have market viability having high numbers of places for children while areas where market viability is less secure, the service is often provided through small, not for profit community management models who struggle to maintain services and have less resources from which to draw on to support ECEC delivery.”

Mrs Daly and Ms McLean said affordability for parents, carers and families needed to be addressed and urged the commission to consult children under the age of five to obtain their views on the sector and their experience within it.

Elizabeth Daly OAM, former chair of the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation.

Rosie Leworthy occasionally looks after her grandchildren, Henry, 4, and Lucy, 2, on the two days of the week when they’re not in childcare.

She said early education services allowed her daughter to have a “good balance” in life, professionally and personally.

“You’ve got to keep your hand in otherwise the jobs disappear,” Ms Leworthy said. “You can’t wait until [the children are] at full-time school anymore like we used to – like I did.”

From July 10, the Albanese government’s $5.4b childcare subsidy package will be rolled out, which will see the Commonwealth pay for a larger portion of the majority of families’ childcare fees.

The maximum subsidy rate will increase from 85 per cent to 90 per cent and the government says about 1.2m Australian families will benefit from the changes.

However, demand for child care services is surging ahead of the increased subsidy coming into effect and there are reports of some providers hiking their fees.

Rosie Leworthy with her grandchildren Henry 4 and Lucy 2 at Princes Park. Picture: Chris Kidd

Lady Gowrie Tasmania CEO, Mat Rowell, said while the provider’s childcare centres were experiencing “consistently” high demand, they weren’t seeing a marked increase in the lead-up to the subsidy changes.

“We haven’t had to close rooms or decrease hours – we just can’t offer the people on our wait list all the days they want because we just don’t have the staff to put on the roster,” he said.

A multi-employer bargaining application brought by unions and child care providers has been lodged with the Fair Work Commission, seeking higher wages for staff.

Mr Rowell said if this was successful, it could be a potential solution to recruitment and retention issues.

Thrive Group Tasmania, a not-for-profit child care provider, told the Productivity Commission that of the nine providers in Tasmania in 2019, only six were still operating today, with one additional service having opened.

The commission will release a draft report from the inquiry in November, with a final report to be handed to the federal government by June 30 next year.