Why do childcare services need to close rooms or reduce spaces when staff call in sick? The simple answer is child-to-educator ratios.

These ratios were brought in as part of the uplift in quality standards over the past decade, and are proven to be a key part of ensuring quality, safe childcare and in building trusting relationships between children and educators.

But in country areas in particular, there is a much greater struggle to attract and retain early learning professionals, which leads to places not being available.

The ratios differ between age group, setting, and – in some cases – states and territories. For example:
✔ in a typical early learning centre, there must be one qualified educator for every five toddlers (1:5)
✔ in a family day care environment, there is a ratio of 1:7, with a maximum of four children preschool age or under
✔ in outside of school hours care (OSHC), it’s typically 1:15.

Being able to attract, retain, and support educators in country Queensland is vital to providing critical early learning and care services that children and families need to thrive.

Childcare is so much more than ‘babysitting’!

Did you know that early learning centres across Australia are typically required to have:
✔ 1-2 Bachelor-qualified Early Childhood Teachers
✔ 50% of all staff must have a Diploma in Early Childhood Education (or equivalent)
✔ 50% of all staff must have a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education (or equivalent).

This is along with specific child-to-educator ratios, which mandate how many educators are required per room, per age group.

While these increases in qualification requirements and ratios over the past 10 years were long overdue and have helped to shift the dial on quality early learning, they’ve also come with challenges – particularly in regional communities who struggle to attract and retain the required qualified professionals.

Some of the reasons include:
❌ Early childhood teachers in school settings are typically paid more with better conditions – up to 30% more pay than in a childcare centre
❌ Wages for early childhood educators don’t stack up against work in other industries – even though educators are required to have qualifications, many are only being paid just above the minimum wage of $24 an hour.

Children in country communities deserve to have equitable access to quality early learning. But without help from governments, business and community, these communities will continue to struggle to attract and retain the qualified early learning professionals they desperately need.

If you’re a parent living and working in regional towns like Moranbah and Dysart, and you have young children, chances are your work has been adversely impacted by the childcare challenges being experienced in country Queensland communities.

In 2021, BMA commissioned a study of the early learning and care sector in Bowen Basin communities in central Queensland. The report’s authors spoke to early learning providers, families and community members.

After speaking to parents, the report found: ‘All of those who are attempting to combine employment and care for their children told us that there simply are not enough childcare places.’😢

Some of the key issues impacting access to childcare in these regional communities included a lack of childcare services, resulting in extensive wait lists or having to drive daily to other communities. There’s also a lack of flexibility for those who work long hours or shift work.

This is part of the reason why projects like the CLA are so important – if we can’t increase the provision of quality care and early learning services, families miss out on income and children miss out on vital early learning experiences.

❓Is your family impacted by the childcare challenge in country communities? We’d love to hear from you. You can send us a direct message or comment below!

🧐Did you know that Queensland is one of only two states in Australia (the other being Tasmania), where more people live outside of a capital city area than in it?📣

According to the 2021 census, more than half of our 5.2 million Queenslanders live outside the Greater Brisbane area.

Our unique, decentralised population means we are reliant on country Queensland communities for a strong and competitive economy. But these communities face challenges not seen in city areas – such as access to allied health services, education, employment, and business opportunities; along with supply chain issues, digital connectivity, and even housing.

Early learning and childcare services are vital to keep these communities thriving – these services allow families to fully participate in local economies, and give children fair access to the quality early learning that sets them up for school and life. And yet, families continue to face a shortage of services and qualified educators and teachers.

A state like Queensland needs a much greater focus on – and investment in – country communities.

Children in the Mackay district (which includes the communities of Moranbah and Dysart) are more likely to be considered ‘vulnerable’ across five developmental domains – physical, social, emotional, language, and communication (source: Australian Early Development Census 2021), when compared with the Queensland and Australian averages. For example, 8.4 per cent of all Queensland children are considered vulnerable in terms of language development, compared with 10.7 per cent of children in the Mackay area.

International research shows children who participate in quality early years education are more likely to go on to do better at school, and are better at self-regulation and social behaviours (source: Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary education project).

⭐Children in country Queensland need equitable access to high-quality early learning to give them the best possible start in life.⭐
The goal of the CLA is to develop strategies that will empower childcare providers in country Queensland to attract, retain, and continuously upskill educators and teachers.

Country communities like those in the Isaac region in central Queensland are bearing the brunt of the nation-wide childcare crisis, leading to families and children unable to access childcare due to insufficient services and significant staff shortages.
This means:
❗fewer parents are able to fully participate in the workforce as they need to look after young children; and
❗children are missing out on opportunities to participate in the high-quality early learning and care that prepares them for school and life.
We’ve been talking to early learning professionals living and working in Moranbah and Dysart as we formulate strategies to address the childcare challenge in these communities.
While it’s clear they ❤️love❤️ their communities, they’ve raised issues and challenges that can be barriers to more educators making the decision to work in country communities. Their voices are helping us to develop sustainable strategies to meet the childcare challenge.
📣We want to know your thoughts! What are some of the roadblocks you’ve experienced – or you’ve seen others experience – living and working in country communities? And what are some of the opportunities? Comment below or send us a message!