The second installment of a two part series, this story looks at some of the difficulties that families and educators are facing in a childcare industry under uncharted stress.
Following on from Part I of this big issue read on Tuesday, the struggles across the childcare sector are far-reaching.
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Here, in Part II, we showcase local voices from within the workforce, crunch the numbers in Orange and hear from experts, shedding a light on the harsh realities of the industry.
Proof in the pudding
Releasing "a ground-breaking report showing that early education is on the brink of crisis", results from a study in 2021 revealed record levels with more than 4000 childcare workers leaving the sector, due to "excessive workloads and low pay".
"The message from early educators across the country is clear: they are at breaking point," United Workers Union's early education director, Helen Gibbons said.
"There is no early childhood sector without early educators, and they simply can't afford to stay and hold it together anymore."
The report, titled Exhausted, undervalued and leaving: the crisis in early education, also listed the following findings:
- 70 per cent of educators surveyed said they 'always' or 'often' worry about their financial situation.
- 81 per cent of centre directors say they have had difficulties in attracting and recruiting staff.
- 92 per cent of educators told us 'under-the-roof' ratios compromise the safety and wellbeing of children.
- 65 per cent of educators report that their services are already understaffed, and providers are reporting having to cap new enrolments because they can't find enough staff.
- 82 per cent of current educators say that in the past month they 'always' or 'often' felt rushed when performing key caring and/or educational tasks.
- Over 75 per cent of educators strongly agree that turnover negatively impacts how children learn and develop as well as their emotional well being more broadly.
- Almost half of educators surveyed would not recommend [Early Childhood Education and Care] as a career.
"The pandemic has [also] exacerbated an existing problem, with job vacancies close to doubling compared to pre-COVID levels," Ms Gibbons said.
"High workload because of increased under-staffing is pushing more and more educators out of the sector."
Skeletal staffing issues
Branching from the Minderoo Foundation's 2022 to 2023 budget submission, a report titled Thrive by Five detailed the urgent need for reform across the childcare industry.
The submission outlined the need for the federal government to support a 10 per cent pay rise for workers across the sector.
"The workforce crisis in the [Early Childhood Education and Care] sector is now so acute that the Commonwealth government must take immediate action to prevent current workers from leaving the sector," the budget submission read.
With the sector's national crisis, director at Imagine Childcare & Preschool Orange, Amilee McPaul says it's "frustrating" for underpaid staff - who originally got into the industry for their love and care of child development - don't feel like they're able to perform or provide to the heights they know they're capable of and willing to do.
The message from early educators across the country is clear: they are at breaking point. There is no early childhood sector without early educators, and they simply can't afford to stay and hold it together anymore.
- United Workers Union's early education director, Helen Gibbons
"It's frustrating, because we love kids and we want to provide a high quality of care - but how do we do that when there's so many [children] running around and there's not enough workers to keep up with those numbers?" she said.
Mostly, they're also feeling undervalued and underappreciated in their roles.
"Some days, it's really hard to deal with all of these different little personalities, especially when we have split families, which can play havoc with behaviours," Ms McPaul said.
"Some parents will rush in and say 'oh, they went to their grandparents for the weekend, so they're running wild' or 'they've just been with their dad, so his/her behaviour is out of control at the moment' before rushing back out.
"So, it's also dealing with this feeling where it's this situation of 'pass the buck to them and they'll deal with it' - which is falling on workers in an industry that is really, really struggling."
Region's high figures
In the last census from 2016, findings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed 41.9 per cent of families in Orange were couples with children, while 18.8 per cent of children were from a one-parent household.
There's also more families with young, child-care aged children (16.3 per cent) in Orange than the state-wide regional NSW average, which sits 13.6 per cent.
The census also showed a larger proportion of single-parent households, with Orange's solo parents clocking 5.2 per cent of households with young children, compared to the 4.4 per cent across the state's regionally-based communities.
Growing costs of childcare
During Scott Morrison's reign, the Liberal government announced the Job for Families childcare package.
Seven years down the track, in the month of May 2022, the Consumer Price Index shows a 28 per cent increase in childcare costs for parents - meaning not only was it unaffordable back in 2015, but it's even more expensive now.
For a first child requiring daycare, average out-of-pocket fees are estimated at $5000 per year, for around 30 hours of care per week.
This figure is more than the average fees for what it would cost to send a child through a private primary school.
Prior to equating subsidies, statistics show the average cost for childcare in Orange and surrounds is pinned at $128.38 per day - one of the highest rates in the state.
So, to work full-time and in need of five days care, for example, you're looking at over $640 a week, per child, in just childcare fees alone.
Amidst these raw figures, childcare subsidy rates have also grown at a higher rate than inflation, with the same time frame showing next to no growth in wages and rising household costs for day-to-day expenses at at all-time high.
The same ABS statistics from the 2016 census recorded a figure of 10,227 families across Orange - which has grown since then - with a median weekly household income of $1295, median monthly mortgage repayments at $1629 and median weekly rent priced at $270.
It's also dealing with this feeling where it's this situation of 'pass the buck to them and they'll deal with it' - which is falling on workers in an industry that is really, really struggling.
- Director at Imagine Imagine Childcare & Preschool Orange, Amilee McPaul
Orange couples with children, who both work full-time, made up for 23.5 per cent of the overall families composition, with a blend of full and part-time working couples equating for 24.1 per cent of the same demographic.
Similarly, it also evidences a rise in over 34 per cent for taxpayers in the 2021-2022 financial year.
System in need of reform
With the majority of centres and reports from staff struggling to deal with the yo-yo extremes of the industry, fundamentals behind the current structure don't seem to add up for parent and Orange-based early childhood teacher, Jessica McGrath.
"It makes no sense to me that Orange is continuing to open up and creating brand new services, regardless of whether we need them or not," Mrs McGrath said.
"I think it makes more sense to invest in services that are currently operational, getting their team settled and helping them to fill to capacity first - instead of opening up more and more services, instead of having services that are running on quarter or half capacity here, there and everywhere - we're probably better off to have a handful of stable services, rather than just bits and pieces."
With the purpose behind parents needing childcare branching across social connectivity, mental health, work commitments or studies, Mrs McGrath says the present system continues to raise alarm bells for families and the industry's frontline workers.
"It's such a trust-based decision and you're trying to go with your instinct, but often, families are just expected to take substandard care for their child," she said.
"And for most families, it's a necessity and there are a whole number of reasons why parents would choose to use early childhood settings.
"I think for Orange - particularly with council approving new services - they need to really have a big think about what's already happening and try to make plans to support the services that already are there, because there's a bigger picture to look at here."
The Central Western Daily sent in-depth questions to Orange City Council, with regard to the issues across the sector, which were outlined throughout both parts of these stories.
After receiving written confirmation that these questions were sent to its childcare team, council then formally declined to provide a statement and did not provide a reason as to why.
The CWD has also reached out to some of the major day care providers across the city for comment, which is currently pending response.
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