Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health is calling for more early childhood educators for its Our Village Family Childcare service across Sunbury and Macedon Ranges, with a shortage leading to excessive wait times.
Family day care differs from childcare centres in that services are provided in educators’ homes in a smaller group setting, as opposed to typically larger groups at childcare centres.
Our Village manager Amanda Urban said their family day care service is struggling to source childhood educators in Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges, and with high demand for the service, wait times currently range from anywhere between six months to three years.
“We have a high demand for family day care in Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges on our waitlist because I think parents are looking for that care in a small group setting while their children are young,” Ms Urban said.
“The parents want the one-on-one care and the bond that they can build with the educator.”
Ms Urban said family day care services could help contribute to further improving childcare centre accessibility in the Macedon Ranges.
“Family day care would close the gap on the need for childcare centres in the Macedon Ranges … in regards to families needing that flexibility – educators can look after siblings together as we offer up to 12 years old,” she said.
“[It also] closes the gap in regards to shift workers, so parents who work nights, weekends – our educators can look after the children out of hours as well out of normal business hours.”
Ms Urban said the local shortage of educators could be due to the fact that they use their own home for the service, financial concerns, or an aversion to running their own business.
“Some educators feel that their home isn’t suitable and they don’t realise that they don’t have to register their whole home … we are under the same regulations as long day care services,” she said.
“I think they’re worried that their rate of pay won’t be as good … but they can set their own rate.”
She said the service assists educators with administration, such as managing waitlists and enrolment paperwork and collecting fees.
Details: sunburycobaw.org.au/job-opportunities/
