Call for increased training for childcare workers
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The costs of childcare would increase if the recommendations are implemented. (ABC News)
The head of Australian Community Children Services has welcomed recommendations to the Government to increase staff training and numbers at childcare centres.
An expert panel has told the Federal Government that all childcare staff should be trained to a TAFE or university level.
The panel also recommended that the staff to child ratio be increased.
The organisation's national convenor, Prue Warrilow, says working with children requires a high level of education.
"Determining minimum qualifications and ensuring that there are early childhood degree qualified working with children is fantastic," she said.
"And certainly improving the ratios for children, because most states have a one to five ratio for children aged nought to two years, which is just a ratio of neglect."
However the new recommendations would likely increase the cost of childcare for parents if they are implemented.
Ms Warrilow says the higher level of care for children outweighs the cost.
"If you can imagine one adult holding a baby and bottle-feeding that baby, and having four other babies on the ground that they're responsible for that could be in some kind of distress, I think a parent would understand having a better child-staff ratio would have much better care and education outcomes for their child," she said.
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