The NFAW supports measures that improve the affordability, accessibility and quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC), early childhood development (ECD) and the well-being of children and families.
The NFAW supports measures that improve the affordability, accessibility and quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC).
In general we support the provisions of the Bill. However, we note that there are key features of the current child care system implemented in 2018 which have not been addressed in this Bill. They warrant further consideration and review. Some of these issues were raised in the Government’s independent Evaluation of the Child Care Package (AIFS, 2022).
The National Foundation of Australian Women’s (NFAW) policy position on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and Paid Parental Leave (PPL) is set in the context of a productivity agenda to help boost economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nearly 1.3 million Australian children are enrolled in approved child care services.1 While the provision of affordable ECEC is a ‘workforce issue’, enabling parents to work outside the home, it is also critically important for the development of children.
Women on Boards has welcomed the NSW Premier’s $120 million commitment to make before and after school care available to public primary schools by 2021.
The National Foundation for Australian Women deplores both the content and process of the Bill now before the Parliament. We urge the Parliament to reject the Bill.
NFAW has a strong policy of support for women to make their own life choices – to choose to be a home maker, to choose to do paid work, to choose part time work if that is a real choice. Responsibility for bearing and rearing children, rightly or wrongly falls mostly on women.
The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW), having given evidence to a hearing of the Commission, undertook to bring some further information to the Commission. We will not comment on every issue raised in the Interim Report. Our specific submissions are set out below.
