The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) notes the Australian Government’s recent announcement that free child care for families will end on 12 July, with JobKeeper support for the child care sector ending on 20 July 2020.
According to a NFAW spokeswoman and long-time campaigner for child care, Marie Coleman, ‘The Government’s child care relief package measures were a welcome response to the COVID-19 pandemic when first introduced in April, but we are concerned now that support for families and child care services is being wound back too early.’
‘Why does child care have to be first sector to experience a wind-back of the JobKeeper payment and COVID-19 relief measures? Expecting the majority of families to be back to their normal hours of work, income and child care usage in about a month’s time is unrealistic,’ Ms Coleman said.
‘With a return to the Government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS), parents may not be able to afford child care or may have to cut back their child’s days in care. The NFAW is worried about the effect on children, families, child care educators and services.’
While the CCS Activity Test is being relaxed for families until 4 October, there are concerns that the affordability of child care will remain an issue once CCS payments resume on 13 July, as parents will have to meet out of pocket costs not covered by the CCS. The Government’s proposed 25 per cent payment to services in the transition period, in lieu of JobKeeper support, also may not be enough to prevent child care educator job losses if some services do not remain viable. Women will feel the impact of this more than men.
The NFAW is calling on the Australian Government to re-think its transition support to the child care sector, to improve longer term affordability for families, viability for the sector and job-security for the child care workforce.
Marie Coleman
NFAW Social Policy Committee
