WORK LIFE FAMILY BALANCE IN ACTION

The Report on Government Services (ROGS), released today, shows the ACT has the highest proportion of children aged 0-12 using Australian Government approved childcare and in particular, for children aged 0-5 years.

The Minister for Children and Young People, Katy Gallagher said this reflected the ACT’s outstanding record of female participation rates in the workforce.

She said ROGS shows that 31.5% of the 0-12 year old population in the ACT attend childcare, compared to the national average of 23.2%.

The Report also showed that quality childcare is provided to a large number of working families in the ACT.

“Recently introduced national reporting on the quality principles of childcare rated the ACT as satisfactory or higher against health, hygiene, nutrition, safety and wellbeing criteria.”

Ms Gallagher said the ACT spent $447.78 per child aged 0-12 years during 2006-2007 compared to the national average of $191. 87.

“This higher level of expenditure per child partly reflects the higher costs associated with an urban centre and partly higher usage levels. The ACT also

has a higher than average attendance by a child at an approved centre based service of 24.3 hours per week, compared with the national average of 19.1 hours.

“The ACT is reported as having the lowest representation of low income families participating in child care programs,” Ms Gallagher said.

“This reflects the fact that the ACT has the lowest proportion of low income families — as part of the overall population — compared with other Australian States and Territories.

“The Report confirms that the ACT has slightly higher average fees for centre-based long day care at $265 for 50 hours care a week compared to the national average of $233. The metropolitan profile of the ACT, higher wages and high demand contribute to the overall cost of childcare.”

Ms Gallagher said the attraction, recruitment and retention of suitably qualified staff are challenges faced by all jurisdictions in the provision of child care services.

She said the ACT has commenced work to consider the strategies that may address these issues through the ACT Children’s Services Forum, which is a Government advisory body made up of government and sector representatives.