No crisis in childcare system says educator

The Australian childcare system is not in a crisis, says Ujjval Goble of childcare training group Ignite Minds.

“There have been media reports of families struggling to pay childcare fees, and being unable to juggle work commitments with family life,” he said.

“Local Councils are increasingly leaving the childcare arena, making it difficult for families that are looking for childcare.

“There are shortages in the inner city, in suburbs such as Abbotsford, Richmond, Fitzroy, Fairfield and Brunswick. But while the media thrive on stories about a crisis, a shortage is not necessarily a crisis and the solutions aren’t hard to find.

“Family Daycare is a simple way to overcome current shortfalls in the childcare system.”

He said that there was still a national oversupply of school teachers, and he knows of unemployed male teachers interested in training as family daycare educators. In many cases, teachers have the added advantage of not having to update their qualifications to launch a new career, which was one where they could take control of their own income.

“But there’s no problem if you don’t have the qualifications yet, because we can help you find a reputable training provider,” he said.

“Ignite Minds offers courses to people wishing to start working in family daycare, and we have openings for more childcare educators. The field is wide open. It’s relatively easy to study for six to 12 months and become fully accredited, which then opens up a really worthwhile and satisfying career.”

According to Family Day Care Australia, around 25,000 Australians now run Family Daycare centres from their homes, and there is vast scope for employment in this field. People are training and then working from home to create rewarding careers for themselves.

“As far as the children are concerned, family daycare is a lot more personal, because kids are cared for in a home environment,” Ujjval said. 

“Taking up a career as a childcare educator has become a financially viable pathway for working parents, who sometimes find childcare is financially out of their reach.”