[Greens-Media] Hanson-Young: Childcare Inquiry exposes Govt's need to articulate vision for childcare as part of 'Education Revolution'

[Clark, Gemma (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

Friday 14 August 2009

Childcare Inquiry exposes Govt's need to articulate vision for childcare
as part of 'Education Revolution'

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the Senate Inquiry into the
provision of childcare has revealed a need for more attention from the
Federal Government to the essential service, including its funding and
quality controls, to avoid a repeat of the childcare crisis triggered by
ABC Learning's collapse.  

The Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee's
Inquiry into the provision of childcare, established by Senator
Hanson-Young in the wake of the ABC Learning corporate collapse late
last year, held its final hearing in Canberra today.

"The turmoil and heartache inflicted upon the Australian childcare
sector by the collapse of ABC Learning in 2008 could have been avoided
if the Federal Government had played a more hands-on role in overseeing
the care and education of our youngest children," said Senator
Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson for Childcare and Early Childhood
Education.

"Planning, monitoring of compliance and regulation are areas where the
Federal Government could have kept a closer eye on the warning signs
that this inquiry has heard were raised with the Education Department."

Senator Hanson-Young said that the Federal Government must adjust
childcare funding models for better policy outcomes to be achieved.

"The current childcare funding levers could be set differently for
better targeting," she said.

"Parents are already stretched by the costs of the essential service of
childcare.

"Increased public funding, which is better targeted and tied to quality
controls, will deliver a higher standard of care for our kids.

"The Greens have called for the Productivity Commission to examine
childcare funding models, and hope to see this happen soon."

Senator Hanson-Young said new national standards being proposed under
the COAG agreement on childcare must take into account wages, conditions
and qualifications childcare staff being lifted.

"If wages aren't appropriate for qualified staff, centres won't attract
those staff, and quality care outcomes won't be achieved," she said.

"Public funding must enable better wages for those who are caring for
our youngest children.

"The Federal Government must provide more proactive policy direction to
its Education Department on childcare, so that Australian families can
have confidence that they are receiving the best care possible.

"We need to see an articulation of a new vision for childcare from the
Federal Government, that puts the care and education of kids at its
centre, and an underlying recognition that this care and education is an
essential service."

Media contact: Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760