Mini Poll Results - CareforKids.com.au®

Mini Poll Results
67% said the proposal would ease shortages

In last month's newsletter we ran a story on a proposal by Professor Bruce Chapman, architect of the HECS scheme, to reduce the number of tertiary qualified child care workers who move from child care into primary school teaching.

Professor Chapman suggests that Government should waive HECS debts for each year a qualified early childhood graduate works in a child care service as a way of encouraging graduates to stay in the sector.

At the bottom of the article we asked your opinion on his proposal:

Do you think Professor Chapman's proposal would ease Australia's child care staff shortage?

An overwhelming 67 per cent of you said 'Yes' the proposal would ease Australia's child care shortages offering comments such as:

"More staff would be encouraged to go back and study if the financial strain on an already underpaid workforce was lifted. I would like to return to study but with a husband, two children and a mortgage to consider it has been put on the back burner until we are more stable financially, but who knows when that will be with the ever changing economy."
"Child care workers earn very little for the work and this would be a form of recognition of the importance of their role in educating and caring for children. It would also encourage workers to upgrade their skills."
"Financial support for training workers is always a help, early childhood education is an essential service and should be treated as such."
"A financial incentive such as that proposed by Professor Chapman could help graduates decide on their future career path for the 'right' reasons and not just for money, which may see centres retain at least a proportion of the tertiary qualified early childhood educators."
"It will encourage young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to select to study in child care field."

23 per cent of you said 'No' Professor's Chapman's proposal won't stem the tide of people moving out of child care giving reasons such as:

"Why still work in child care with poor wages when you get better wages in school and more holidays. Plus teachers are more respected in the community than child care workers no matter what qualification you hold."
"Why would a university trained educator want to work in child care with the long hours and no school holidays and terrible pay?"
"While the leading academics of our profession still think it's ok for staff to work in their breaks (one of the many things we have to do to meet our obligations under the NQF) then no waiving of HECS fees is going to stem the tide of experienced, qualified or not, staff from leaving the early childhood profession."
"Higher pay, shorter working hours, school holidays, pupil free days, are some benefits teachers have that child care workers don't. The HECS debt is minor compared to the long term benefits of teaching positions. Those who would take this offer, would only work in child care for as long as necessary and then move into the teaching sector causing a mass exodus of child care staff leaving an even bigger problem as centres would be unable to replace staff that quickly."
"The problem is the gap between pay and condition in the two sectors or what I believe should now be one sector."

10 per cent of you were unsure whether Professor Chapman's proposal would affect staffing in the early childhood sector.