[Sub ID 4018] Childcare centre and training for Diploma in childcare services (Jenny Aiello)

Submission ID: 4018
Contact name: Mrs Jenny Aiello
State: NSW
About the submitter: happily married mother of 2 school aged children, have childcare certificate and run my own advertising and sports product review business from home.

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young parents

What need or issue are you trying to address?
Identified Issue – young parents who didn’t finish high school because they have been caring for their children, feel they have lost their independence and their confidence to interact socially. They don’t have any formal training or certificates in any particular industry and can only work part time if at all.

What is your idea?
Provide a Government run Childcare Centre where young parents from your identified priority group can bring their children for free 3-4 days a week and work at the centre at the same time. Ideally the children would be aged 2-5 The parents over a 2 year period complete their Diploma in Childcare services ( or Certificate 4). The centre provides them with hands on knowledge of not only being a competent childcare teacher but also life skills in raising a health child, benefit from social interactions with other mums and head trainers at the centre, a sense of belonging and the ability to apply for paid work in a fulfilling career in Childcare once they have completed their 2 year Diploma or Certificate 4. The Centre would also provide their children with social interactions with similar aged children, learning basic skills needed for school life and life in general, the children would be up to date with their immunisations and receiving healthy meals whilst at the centre.

You could look at developing this idea two ways
1- Offer this program to all existing childcare centres- If they take on a young parent ( trainee staff member) for 2 years they don’t need to pay them but their child gets free child care for 3-4 days a week at the centre they work in. The government can look at paying them an hourly rate over this 2 year period or keep them on their current payment system. They would be entitled to the same 4 week annual leave and sick leave as a paid worker After they finish their 2 year course they no longer require welfare payments as they can find paid work with their new credentials. Plus their child would be close to school age and the same caring hours are no longer the same.
2- A centre is created for these young parents and it has 2 qualified head trainers over seeing their training, education and completion of the course. The work at the centre at least 3 days a week full time and their children are able to attend. After the same 2 year period the parent finishes their course and is a certified Child Care worker