77% of surveyed childcare workers say their centres operate below safety standards

ABC NEWS (Australia)

More concerns have been raised about safety at childcare centres, with three quarters of workers telling a survey their place of work was operating below minimum staffing levels at least weekly. 42% of the 2,100 childcare workers who responded to the United Workers Union survey also said their centre was operating below minimum staffing levels on a daily basis.

Transcript

00:00Unfortunately, the survey would strongly suggest that children aren't getting the care and

00:06attention that they need and that their parents are paying a hefty premium for.

00:11As you mentioned, this survey of 2,100 workers was undertaken by the United Workers' Union.

00:16It happened a few weeks ago before a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with 70 offences

00:21including sexual assault and as the ABC's investigation into childcare continued to

00:27reveal serious concerns about centres placing profit over care and I just want to read you

00:33through what the workers had to say about what exactly this means on the ground for children.

00:3775% said it meant children were left without emotional support, 72% said it led to an increase

00:44in children hurting themselves or others and 69% said education standards were compromised

00:50and this is what Carolyn Smith from the United Workers' Union had to say about the findings.

00:56Enforcing those staffing levels is really important because educators don't want to finish their

01:01day feeling like they were understaffed, like they couldn't provide the quality care and

01:07education they wanted to.

01:09That leads to burnout and people leaving the sector.

01:12So we need that, we need the money, we need the staffing and we just need the understanding

01:18that this is one of the most important jobs in our community.

01:22Caring for, educating, helping little minds develop and grow is one of the most important

01:29jobs in our community.

01:30That was Carolyn Smith from the United Workers' Union and we do know that there's an increasing

01:35body of research about just how important those first five years are for children's development

01:40and how important it is that they get the care and support they need.

01:43And what's been the reaction to the survey from the industry and also from the government?

01:47It's been contrasting responses, Ros.

01:49The industry led by the Australian Child Care Alliance, which represents a lot of these

01:53for-profit operators which have really been under scrutiny, said that they were working

01:57with government to address these issues but they did question the validity of the survey.

02:02They said, we are unable to comment on a survey with no oversight of the detail included

02:07in the data.

02:08The sector is rightly expected to comply with the regulations.

02:11This is non-negotiable.

02:13In contrast, the Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education, Senator Jess Walsh, said

02:17the survey results were very concerning and that they'll work with educators and with the

02:22union to address the issues raised here.

02:24Of course, the government is also under pressure as these revelations have revealed gaps in safety,

02:30compliance and regulation.

02:31I hope they are.

02:39Well, look, you've got a woman who has a lady who has a lady who has a wife and a woman

02:45who has a wife and a woman who has a wife and a wife.

02:47A woman who has a wife and a wife.

02:50He is a woman who has been abused and abused and abused and abused.

Category

Transcript

Recommended