Incentives for innovative rural child care
A new booklet outlining funding and incentives available to rural and regional communities for innovative child care services was released today by Federal Community Services Minister, Larry Anthony.
“The booklet, Flexible Child Care in Rural and Remote Australia, is designed to make these communities aware of the support available to them from the Coalition Government.
“This Government is committed to delivering child care to rural and regional Australia. We believe that rural and remote families are entitled to the affordable, flexible and quality child care enjoyed by their city cousins.
“We fund more than 300 flexible child care services in regional Australia, but there are areas where services currently don’t operate. This booklet will help communities fill the gaps by giving them all the facts they need to establish new services.”
Examples of innovative child care services in rural and remote areas include:
- Occasional long day care for families who travel into local centres to undertake farm business;
- Mobile child care services;
- On-farm child care for isolated farm families;
- In-home care for families who do not have access to mainstream service.
“The Coalition Government has spent $4.3 billion on child care over the last four year – 30 per cent more than Labor’s last four years. We have also committed an unprecedented $6 billion for the next four years.
“Due to our record spending on child care, there are 2,000 more child care services providing more than 150,000 additional places. Child care costs have also come down by 8.7 per cent over the last year,” Mr Anthony said.
“The new booklet will be available through Commonwealth, State and Local Government agencies in rural areas, community groups, existing child care services, major employers in rural areas and industry groups,” Mr Anthony said.
People seeking more information on funding available for new child care services can contact the Department of Family and Community Services on 1300 653 227.