By Katrina RoeFriday 13 Jul 2018Hope MorningsNewsReading Time: 1 minute
Listen: Michele Carnegie from Community Early Learning Australia explains the recent changes to the childcare rebate system.
For Australian parents, having access to good quality childcare is a major issue.
Recent changes to the Childcare Rebate System have put enormous pressure on parents and childcare providers as they adjust to the new system.
While many working parents will be better off under the changes, switching over to the new system is not automatic. Parents have to complete a child care assessment to determine what level of subsidy they are entitled to.
Michele Carnegie is from Community Early Learning Australia – the peak body for Australia’s Early and Middle Childhood Education Sector. She explained that switching over to the new system has placed a huge burden on childcare providers who have been walking their parents through the new system.
She also raised concerns about those who may not meet the work or study activity requirement, but who may need childcare for more complex reasons. For her organisation the social justice aspect of providing care to those who need it most is an important consideration, which the new system may not adequately allow for.