"I'm pretty sure they were saying they were going to put things into the budget about childcare and helping women get back to work and it seems like nothing like that has happened," Mrs Robson, 29, said.

"That was what they were implying - that something was going to come in."

Read more: Illawarra women react to Treasurer's 'budget for the blokes'

While treasurer Josh Frydenberg's Tuesday night budget included wage subsidies, business incentives and tax cuts to boost confidence and jobs and rebuild the economy, it was lacking in significant and targeted support for women, who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and the recession.

The federal government had paid for families to access free childcare from April to July and been urged to continue the scheme to make it easier for women, who are often their family's primary caregivers, to return to work.

The budget stopped short of this, but included $9 billion to be spent this financial year on the Child Care Subsidy model, which is dependent on a family's income, up from $8.3 billion last year.

Mrs Robson, of Mayfield, said she had been planning to build up to returning to work full-time, but this was unlikely in the absence of a new subsidy, rebate or price cap.

She said she would take home around $100 each week after paying for childcare.

"It would not be worth it to work full-time," she said.

"I'd be working just to pay solely for childcare."

She said making childcare free or more affordable would make a "massive difference and help a lot of women out".

"I'm lucky I have a husband and he has a good job, but I do feel for single parents and people who don't have a good family support system.

"For them to be able to go back to work is going to be really challenging, but they have to at the same time, so it's not very good."

She said money spent to help women return to work would come "full circle".

"We have plans to renovate our house and obviously working full-time would help a lot more with that," she said.

"We're not just putting the money in a savings account for a rainy day- we're trying to provide for our kids, go on holidays with them, it's not like we don't spend the money in the economy in other ways."

Mrs Robson said her plan is now to return to work full-time just before Christmas, with the help of her husband Alex and their parents looking after Eleanor, before making a new plan. This will most likely see her work two weekdays and Saturdays.

Liz Neader, 31, of Adamstown, said she too would have liked to have seen more support for working mums and access to daycare and childcare.

She had planned to return to work as an occupational therapist in September, but has had to extend her unpaid leave.

She had been able to secure two days of daycare per week for her daughter Frankie, 4, but only one day for her son Alfie, one. He will start two days next year.

She said her husband Dan would move to a weekend roster so she could work three days a week.

"I want to go back to work for the social side and to get my brain working, but financially it's not a huge incentive," she said.

"The costs are so prohibitive. I would have gone back earlier and potentially more days if there was more support."

Ms Neader said full-time income would also be useful to pay for Frankie's upcoming surgery.

She has bilateral glue ear and had surgery to have grommets when she was two.

They have come out, but she has had recurring ear infections and trouble sleeping, so will have an operation to have the grommets reinserted and her tonsils and adenoids removed.

Federal Opposition leader Anthony Albanese's budget reply speech is expected to include free childcare for low income earners.

Chief executive of St Nicholas Early Education said the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle established the not-for-profit provider in 2015, as part of the church's mission to support family life.

"We know many families depend on both parents earning an income," Mr Scanlon said.

"The Diocese established St Nicholas so that parents can feel confident returning to work knowing that their children are receiving quality care and education at an affordable price.

"We're always hopeful that the government of the day will introduce further policies to support parents and carers, including childcare fee subsidies.

"The 2020-21 Budget doesn't include any new initiatives, which I'm sure would have been welcomed by the industry and families alike, as the government moves to encourage more people back to work."

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