AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE FOR EVERY COMMUNITY

The re-elected Liberal and Nationals Government has pledged to provide high-quality and affordable childcare options to every community in New South Wales (NSW).

This commitment aims to support more parents in returning to work sooner, thereby boosting the economy.

The plan involves expanding existing centres, building new facilities at TAFEs, universities, and hospitals, and increasing extended hours’ childcare.

These facilities will be delivered as part of the 10-year, $5 billion Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund.

Treasurer Matt Kean has emphasized that this commitment will provide much-needed relief for families balancing their work commitments with caring for children. He noted that childcare costs can be a signifcant burden on working families, with some mothers taking home only 25 cents for each dollar earned after tax, loss of family tax benefts, and childcare costs.

Moreover, more than half of Australian mothers with children under 15 who want to return to work or take on more hours say that caring for children is the main reason stopping them. The lack of childcare services in more than a third of NSW communities not only impacts children’s development but also raises the price of childcare for parents.

This plan aims to give every parent a choice, regardless of their location and working hours.

Minister for Education and Early Learning

Sarah Mitchell added that the commitment builds on the Liberal and Nationals’ announcement to fast-track the delivery of 500 new preschools on public school sites across the state.

The Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund will increase access to childcare in areas with the highest demand. The fund will identify priority areas and provide the necessary funding to remove barriers for families to access quality early childhood education.

The Liberal and Nationals Government has invested $15.9 billion in early childhood education to create about 47,000 additional affordable childcare places across NSW, as well as 50,000 prekindergarten places on school sites by 2027.

The government is focused on creating economic opportunities for women and has allocated $16.5 billion over ten years to programs that will beneft women.

The programs include:

• $5.8 billion towards introducing universal pre-kindergarten

• $1.3 billion over four years in fee relief for preschool

• $5 billion towards boosting accessibility and affordability of childcare

• $32 million to provide wraparound support for women to return to work

• $69.4 million to improve the experiences of women in the workforce

• $30.6 million to support women in small business and entrepreneurship

• $150.5 million to increase women’s health and wellbeing

• $108.9 million to increase respect for women and women’s fnancial security

The government will continue to consult with families and the early childhood education sector on the implementation of the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund, with applications for the fund launching in July 2023.