Preschool Enrollment in Australia is Declining, Prompting Calls for Universal Free Childcare

Since recent data showed that fewer kids are attending preschool, experts have called once again for universal free childcare.
By: International College of Victoria
 
MELBOURNE, Australia - April 17, 2023 - PRLog -- According to the figures, which the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released on Thursday, there were 4,575 fewer kids registered in childcare programmes in 2022 than there were in 2021, a 1.3% decline.

Just one in four parents of those enrolled were using free childcare, and three out of ten paid $5 or more per hour for preschool.

The availability of completely subsidised healthcare is reliant on the state and territorial policies and programmes, which fluctuate from year to year.

Preschool education is substantially subsidized by states like South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria, and pupils from disadvantaged, extremely low-income households, and at-risk backgrounds are also entitled to access certain programmes.

According to education and care expert Lisa Bryant, the "crazy mix model system" should be simplified to provide everyone access for nothing or for a very cheap cost.

According to the data, 334,440 kids between the ages of four and five are enrolled in preschool programmes, or around nine out of ten four-year-olds and one out of every five kids between the ages of five.

In total, after subsidies were subtracted, two-thirds of children participating in preschool programmes spent $4 or less out of pocket per hour and three in ten paid $5 or more.

At the same time, there are now 45,363 more children enrolled across several provider types, a 13% increase.

Bryant said that parents were enrolling their kids in many preschool programmes in an effort to take advantage of different financing structures. Now, states are in charge of preschool subsidies while the federal government is in charge of childcare.

"The entire system has to be drastically altered, not just this separation between two layers of government," she said.

"It doesn't work if children are attempting to establish numerous ties with other instructors, teachers, and other kids across programmes."

The decline in the number of children enrolled in preschools across Australia, according to Mehreen Faruqi, education spokesman for the Green Party, should "seriously alarm" the federal government.

Early childhood education and care (https://icv.edu.au/diploma-of-early-childhood-education-a...) must be provided for free, and the government must prioritize ensuring that teachers have the highest salaries and working conditions, according to her.

About International College of Victoria

International College of Victoria (ICV) is a leading registered training organisation delivering hands on training to both local and international students from Certificate III to Diploma courses across various industry sectors.  To know more visit: https://icv.edu.au/

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Tags:Free Childcare education
Industry:Education
Location:Melbourne - Victoria - Australia
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