THRIVE BY FIVE WELCOMES NSW GOVT’S TRIAL OF LONGER HOURS AND WEEKEND OPENING FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRES
10 April 2024 – Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five campaign has welcomed the Flexible Initiative Trial introduced by the NSW government.
The trial will enable families and children across NSW to benefit from expanded and more flexible early learning options and will also increase the number of early learning spots available in centres across the state.
Thrive by Five’s Jay Weatherill said that the initiative will help provide more support to working families in NSW, especially to parents who are casual workers.
“This is a very positive step taken by the NSW Government which will ensure that families have greater flexibility in navigating caregiving and work responsibilities.
“Extending hours of care and allowing families to access early learning facilities during the weekends, will be particularly beneficial to parents who work casual and shift jobs.
“Expanding early learning options available to families will help ensure that they do not have to make the unfair choice between caring for their children or tending to work responsibilities.
“We strongly encourage Deputy Premier Car and Premier Minns to make these changes permanent,” Mr Weatherill said.
The Flexible Initiatives Trial will help provide more support to families and children across New South Wales by:
- Expanding the types of care options available to families
- Extending hours of care, including making care available during weekends
- Increasing the number if early learning spots available across centres
“These changes will help remove barriers to workforce participation for primary carers, who are predominantly women, and give a significant boost to household incomes.
“We welcome these changes and also encourage Premier Minns to use his position in the National Cabinet to advocate for additional reforms that will help provide more flexibility and support to families, including calling for the abolition of the childcare subsidy Activity Test,” Mr Weatherill said.
