ACA National keen to work with Coalition Government to put children and families first

Australia’s peak body for private long day care services, the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA), today extended its congratulations to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Coalition on their Federal election win over the weekend.

ACA also commended the Australian Labor Party (ALP) for its commitment to all of ACA’s Best Start In Life policy requests, and for ensuring that access to affordable early learning services was an issue placed “front and centre of this election”.

“The community engagement during the lead up to this election has shown that accessibility and affordability of early learning is an issue that impacts a significant number of Australian families,” ACA President Paul Mondo said.

He said ACA was “really pleased that the benefit of high quality, affordable early childhood education to Australia’s young children as well as to future prospects of the Australian economy are increasingly being recognised, both by government and the general community.”

Mr Mondo outlined that the introduction of the Child Care Subsidy in July last year, by the Coalition Government had, in his opinion, “helped affordability for a significant number of families”.

“However,” Mr Mondo cautioned, “the system requires further work to ensure that it is working effectively for families and service providers, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that all children have the same opportunity for the best start in life.”

He said that the ACA had enjoyed a positive working relationship with the Coalition Government in the past, outlining collaboration undertaken with the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services during the design of the Child Care Subsidy, as well as during the transition and implementation of same.

“We look forward to continuing this relationship with the government to ensure that their policy affecting  the early learning sector delivers outcomes that are in the best interests of Australian families, with a view to giving every child in Australia the best start in life, regardless of their parents’ circumstances or where they live,” Mr Mondo said.