NSW Minister for Early Childhood Education Sarah Mitchell is adamant her government will be the first in the country to subsidise all three year olds enrolled in community preschools.
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But the Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education Kate Washington was just as bullish that “what was the centrepiece of the government’s budget announcement to reduce the cost of living pressures on working families, actually doesn’t apply to most families in NSW”.
Ms Washington, who dropped by Corrimal Preschool on Friday, said children who attend long-day care centres like the one run by Big Fat Smile, were not entitled to the reduction.
“The fact of the matter is 83 per cent of three year olds in pre-schooling across the state are not eligible for this funding,” she said.
“Illawarra families deserve the promised fee relief, but the reality is most will miss out.”
This view was supported by Big Fat Smile CEO Jenni Hutchins who said about three quarters of children in the service’s seven preschools and 20 early learning and care preschools missed the boat.
“So that equates to thousands of children who miss out,” Ms Hutchins said.
“I think any investment into early education is welcoming and promising but to have a real impact this funding needs to be accessible to all three year old children.
“At the moment it is only accessible to about 17 per cent of the children across the state. So 83 per cent of children across centres like this one, where they can access an early childhood program run by qualified preschool teachers, miss out.
“We want all children to have access to the same service and same funding under the same quality framework everywhere. They are under the same quality framework but the funding is different.”
Nine large early learning providers have signed an open letter to the NSW Premier stating “for the 82.5% of 3 year old children in NSW attending preschool programs in long day care centres, there was no good news in yesterday’s budget’.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said “this announcement alone will save parents or carers with children in early childhood education about $800 per year”.
But Shadow Treasurer Ryan Park said the government’s centrepiece cost of living measure was a “con-job”.
“The government is saying it is providing universal access to preschool but in fact in many settings like this one, that’s not the case,” he said.
“In the end, the government’s lies are going to get found out. Thousands of local families are going to expect this assistance come January 2019, and they’re not going to be eligible.”
Ms Mitchell said the federal government was primarily responsible for funding long day care.