LHMU - UNION ACTIVE

Crucially for Victoria, the new standards to be unveiled at a Council of Australian Governments meeting in Brisbane today include improved ratios for the over-three age group.

Victoria’s ratio for this group is currently one carer to 15 children — the worst in Australia.

Under the new standards, this ratio will move to one carer to eleven children by 2015.

Jess Walsh, State Secretary of LHMU – the childcare union, welcomed the changes saying they are a huge win for Victorian parents, kids and carers.

“Better ratios in the four to five year-old age range are fantastic news for parents, kids and carers.”

“This will give childcare workers more time to spend with children to help develop basic literacy and numeracy skills, as well as social and emotional skills.”

“Improved childcare ratios will give Victorian kids a real head start at primary school.”

“Our members have lobbied federal and state politicians relentlessly for quality childcare. They are very pleased about this.”

The national standards come after a Victorian shake up earlier this year of staff ratios for the 0-3 age range, which are moving to one carer to four children.

The national standards will leave Victoria with the best ratios in the country for 2-3 year-olds.

“Victoria is leading the way in ratios for two-to-three year-olds. That is just fantastic.”

Ms Walsh hit back at alarmist claims made by private childcare operators over the weekend about the likely impost on parents.

“Private operators want to leave the sector in the dark ages. They are saying they want unqualified staff doing little more than crowd control, caring for up to 15 children each.

“That is not the future. The future is highly trained and qualified staff being able to provide a proper program of care and development to a manageable number of children.”

The Victorians reforms also included a new minimum qualification of Certificate 3 for all childcare workers in Victoria.

Improved ratios and minimum qualifications are central planks of the LHMU BIG STEPS in Childcare campaign, launched by Victoria’s Children’s Services Minister Maxine Morand at Parliament House last August.

Babette Casey, Director of John Street Community Childcare Centre in Fitzroy, said:

“This is really exciting news. Staff will be less stressed. It will give them the time to build even closer relationships with children and engage them in our early childhood programs.”

“It’s going to lead to better outcomes in school readiness and our long day-care programs.”

“When you have one staff member to fifteen children you’re spending a lot of time on supervision. It doesn’t leave much time for engaging them in programmed activities and play-based learning.”