No childcare means no work
A national shortage of childcare places is causing widespread problems among working families. Forty-four percent of parents taking part in a survey conducted by the ACTU and childcare unions said it affects their employment. The National Childcare Phone In was conducted over three weeks and received more than 720 calls from parents and childcare workers detailing widespread problems in the industry. The survey found that childcare is a major barrier to parents taking on work and is adding severely to the financial pressure on working families. Key survey results include: * 52 percent of part-time workers are prevented from taking up more work due to lack of childcare * The childcare shortage is also a major problem for mothers, with 29 percent unable to return to work after maternity leave. * Affordability is a major problem for parents with 62 percent indicating childcare is not affordable. Of these, 34 percent said childcare was not affordable but the alternative would be to lose their job and another 12 percent said it was not affordable but they were unwilling to give up their childcare place. * Childcare waiting lists of more than 12 months are common with 44 percent of people on waiting lists unable to get a childcare place within 12 months. * Childcare was an important election issue with 85 percent of respondents indicating that the childcare policies of the political parties influenced their vote, including 62 percent saying it will had a major influence on their voting behaviour at the federal election. All survey findings are yet to be fully analysed, however other obvious trends in the results are a strong awareness among parents that childcare staff are poorly paid and deserve a pay rise. Also, many childcare workers indicated that it was impossible to deliver the quality of care children needed due to inadequate staffing, an increase in special needs children, and insufficient investment in facilities. Helen Creed, National President of childcare union LHMU said, "High staff turnover is a direct result of the low wages for childcare workers and a lack of coherent planning by the federal government". Greg McLean, Assistant National Secretary of childcare union ASU said, "These results highlight the need for a national rescue plan that applies to all sections of the childcare industry, including full and part-time childcare centres, occasional care, family day care, and before and after school care. "The plan should be developed with the full cooperation and involvement of all childcare workers and include more Government investment in childcare infrastructure and decent wages for child care workers to ensure all Australian families and communities get a fair share of quality childcare services."