A new report highlights the severe shortage of early learning and childcare services in rural and remote areas, which is causing significant financial strain and risking burnout for parents.
The report, compiled by advocacy group The Parenthood, draws on the experiences of 162 parents, caregivers, educators, and community leaders. It also includes data from an online poll of 855 parents.
Maddy Butler, Campaign Director at The Parenthood, emphasized that the impact of this shortage goes beyond just the immediate struggle to find childcare.
“Parents in regional, rural, and remote areas are facing severe mental health challenges as they search for and wait for early learning spots,” Butler said. “They are forced to make alternative arrangements and juggle caregiving with paid work. This should not be this difficult.”
The poll revealed that 86 percent of families in these areas are struggling to access childcare, leading to significant financial stress.
In response to this crisis, The Parenthood, along with over 50 organizations from health, education, and agriculture sectors, launched the Access for Every Child Rural Coalition in Canberra this May. They are advocating for better government management of the early childhood education and care system.
Currently, 70 percent of the system is operated by private providers. Butler noted that essential workers, including nurses, teachers, early childhood educators, and psychologists, are either reducing their working hours or quitting due to a lack of childcare options.
“These workers report feeling socially isolated and burnt out as they resort to extreme measures, such as working through the night, to balance their financial needs and childcare responsibilities,” she said.
Butler stressed that early childhood education and care should not be left to the private sector alone. Many country towns lack private providers due to uncertain profits, despite the critical need for these services.
While the Federal Government’s recent wage increase for early childhood educators is a positive step towards a universal system, further incentives are necessary to address shortages in rural and remote areas.
“Access to early childhood education should not be influenced by one’s location or income level. The government must act to alleviate the burden on families in these areas and ensure that no family is disadvantaged,” Butler concluded.