Family Day Care finds an advocate in Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party

The message from Mark Banasiak, MLC of the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party when it comes to the ECEC Relief Package is forthright – “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. 

Mr Banasiak is responding to concerns relayed to him from the family day care (FDC) sector, that the $1.6 billion package “will decimate family day care providers across the State, both city and bush, if it continues”.

For some providers, they are effectively operating on $6 per child per hour, not inclusive of any fee or levy which must be paid to their co-ordinator. Whilst some may be eligible for JobKeeper, he said this is only likely to cover 70 per cent of an educators income, and payments will not be made until May. 

One provider has estimated that they will be operating at a $150,000 loss over the next 90 days – something which is unsustainable for a small service provider.

Whilst larger providers and profitable services may have financial reserves sufficient to cover wages until JobKeeper payments are made, for smaller services and for FDC providers, this is less likely to be possible, Mr Banasiak said.

Member for Barwon Roy Butler has also expressed concern to Mr Banasiak following communications with families who rely on governesses to teach their children while they work on their remote farms. 

In many cases, governesses are now more highly paid by JobSeeker payments, as are simply not showing up to work. 

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