THE Federal Government’s unprecedented action to make childcare free for essential workers has been welcomed by one Millicent family which will remain in work and save up to $600 a week on fees.
Elders Millicent sales support manager Tiana Wheatley and partner Adam Telfer will both be able to continue working during the COVID-19 crisis with surety Millicent’s childcare centre will not be closed due to dwindling enrolments.
Last week, the Federal Government announced it would pay fees on behalf of parents after thousands of children were removed from centres due to financial hardship and the fear of infection.
“It is unreal for our family – Adam is in aged care so he has to continue going to work and I still have to work as Elders is an essential service,” she said.
“We did not have a backup plan in case the childcare centres closed, but it was likely one of us would have had to stop working and it probably would have been me.
“Knowing the childcare centre will stay open as well as being free is amazing and takes a lot of pressure off our family.”
Ms Wheatley’s two young children attend childcare at a cost of almost $600 each week.
“Because this week is Easter, we would have had to pay $500 for the kids to attend just on Friday and Monday,” she said.
“We do not get any help from the government, so not having to pay for childcare will be a massive help for us.
“It will also give us a lot more money which we can put back into the local economy.”
Under the $1.6b plan, the government will calculate a childcare centre’s revenue based on enrolments in the fortnight to March 2 and pay 50pc of that directly to the centre.
Childcare centres which receive the payments must try to re-enrol children who have recently been taken out of child care.
As well as providing an economic benefit to the family, Ms Wheatley said the continuation of childcare would provide a significant benefit to the social development of her two children.
“Childcare is really important to both of my kids – Charlie is very social and needs to have interaction with other kids,” he said.
“Lenny only sees other kids when he is at childcare and he has really close bonds with the children and centre staff.
“It is much more beneficial to them both than sitting at home all day.”
Ms Wheatley’s sentiments were echoed by Glencoe resident Jane Bronca, who had considered withdrawing her daughter Edie from childcare.
Ms Bronca is an education support worker and currently on maternity leave, while husband Ethan is a stock agent and classified as an essential worker.
“Before the COVID-19 crisis, Edie was attending childcare two full days a week, which was reduced to one day when I started leave as we wanted to keep her enrolled to keep her position,” she said.
“Even though she is not attending because of her safety, we are paying $94.50 a day which at the best of times is quite a substantial figure, let alone when you are on one income and not actually making use of the service.
“It will help us out financially and allow us to put the money we would have been paying for childcare back into the economy, which I feel is important to spend and support local businesses which have been hit hard during the pandemic.”
Ms Bronca said the waiver of fees would also provide workers with a “sense of appreciation” about their roles and how it is viewed by the government.
“It shows the government does care and appreciate essential workers, because having to work plus send your kids to childcare while others are able to keep their kids at home makes you feel a bit deflated,” she said.
The decision to make childcare free could also reverse the current sharp decline in enrolments at Millicent’s Gladys Smith Early Learning Centre.
The Bonshor Street facility is operated by Wattle Range Council and its deputy chief executive Paul Duka has embraced the funding support.
He said there had been a significant drop in numbers over the past week.
“Before the COVID-19 emergency the average daily attendance was 57 children,” he said.
“Last week’s attendance was down to an average of 18 per day.
“At an average of 18 children per day at the centre is not financially sustainable and unfortunately all our casual staff members are unable to obtain shifts.
“I feel for these staff members at this time, but we hope that some of these staff can return following the Federal Government announcement.”
Mr Duka encouraged parents to keep their children registered with the centre and if their personal situations change to use the service and keep it viable.
