Queensland families are breathing a sigh of relieve after the Federal Government dropped its plans to announce means testing to the Child Care Rebate (CCR) in last night’s budget.
Childcare Queensland, the states leading childcare body says that Queensland parents cannot afford any further increases to their long day child care costs.
Childcare Queensland CEO, Gwynn Bridge says that the win tonight is over shadowed by the Federal Government’s intention to go ahead with its plans to cut the CCR cap by nearly $500, which will hurt every parent with a child in care 4-5 days a week.
“Queensland parents depend on CCR and low-income earners specially depend on the ability to place their child in care for four or five days a week,” Ms Bridge said.
“In addition in this hit to the pocket for parents is the National Quality Reforms that will see the cost of quality long day child care increase from at least $13-$22 a day per child in 2012,” she said.
“We urge Queensland MPs and Senators to back Queensland parents and reject any measure that will price families out of quality long day child care altogether,” Ms Bridge says.
Ms Bridge said that the child care industry was disappointed that in a budget focused on work participation, the Government failed to adopt its Bonded HECS policy initiative aimed at retaining the 3000 tertiary qualified staff that the Government is insisting the sector employ as part of its quality agenda reforms.
Further, the Government has failed to boost funding for centres wanting to care for children with special needs such as disabilities, autism and behavioural issues. The Government has however, ordered a review of the funding process.
“We are pleased that our fears about means testing and other cuts weren’t realised but we really now need to work with the Government to ensure they know the role quality long day child care can play in helping boost workforce participation, especially among mothers.”
Childcare Queensland believes that quality early learning programs are there to provide every child with the best chance of gaining a good education, in a nurturing, regulated and caring environment.
“We must ensure that quality long day child care remains affordable for ALL families and we look forward to continuing to work with the Government on behalf of our parents and children to achieve this aim.”
Childcare Queensland is Australia’s largest state child care organisation with a membership of 850 long-day care centres, caring for 115,000 children, communicating with over 210,000 parents and representing 15,000 staff.
