Final piece in Labor’s $1b childcare plan in place
Annabelle Banfield |
The dreaded morning routine for parents of young kids may be getting simpler, as the federal government confirms plans to build preschools on the grounds of primary schools in each state and territory.
The government has announced two new childcare centres to be built in the Northern Territory, the final state or territory government to sign an agreement as part of the $1 billion Building Early Education fund.
The building early education agreements already signed have locked in support for 42 early learning services around Australia, with 33 to be located on existing school grounds.
Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh says it will benefit many families.
“School-based early learning gives families the opportunity of a one-stop drop,” Ms Walsh told reporters on Monday.
“We know many families this morning who have been dealing with the morning juggle and getting kids to early learning and to school.”
Convenience isn’t the only benefit for preschoolers learning on the grounds of a primary school.
“It helps them see the big school up the road and helps them arrive at school ready to make friends, ready to learn, and be on that journey towards a great life,” the minister said.
The not-for-profit centres will be predominantly located in regional or outer suburban areas, where families are flocking but often not meeting enough infrastructure.
Shayne Neumann is delighted to be delivering a new service to his community in regional Ipswich, where currently just three in 10 children receive early education before starting school.
“That double drop-off is the bane of parents’ lives in the morning,” Mr Neumann said.
“We want to make sure that whether you’re growing up in a rural community, you’ve got the same access to early education as someone living in Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne.”
It comes as the government’s wage justice for early childhood education goes through it’s second reading, after already passing the house.
After educators were given a 15 per cent pay rise in the award rate, this new legislation would deliver grants to centres to fund the wage increase.
To receive funding, centres would have to limit fee increases for families and meet the children’s health and safety quality area of the national standards.
AAP