Hi All,

I am just wondering as part of an independent research project if this statement relates to any mother/ carer at all.

'Are women finding it hard to return to their jobs due to a lack of childcare options?’

If so, the reasons behind this. Thank you all! Hope to hear from you soon (:

I think the answer just has to be yes.
What however is the solution?
Not for profit coops seems one answer.
Wounder if it would be possible for governments to fund such centers , some could be on school property.
Money spent would be returned by increased productivity.

Unfortunately, admin, there aren't that many women inhabiting this forum, and almost none who fit into the demographic of requiring childcare for very young children.

"coops"....."increased productivity".....strange society we've constructed for ourselves.

As a mother of my children, I can tell you it doesn't relate at all. It's a motherhood feel good issue trotted out by lobby groups looking for government to support their business, and a statement of female martyrdom by ardent feminists.

There is a very small group of people in some suburbs of Sydney who find it hard to find places, due to the fact, basically, that they can afford to live in such suburbs. The vast vast majority live in suburbs where there are ample places available, and have the help of grandparents to boot.

The only contentious issue is price. At my center it costs around $100 each per day for my 2 kids and that equates to $20000 a year (2 days a week). The government gives us back $10000, so basically you have to earn enough to make it worthwhile. ie. clear at least $10000 a year in after tax dollars for 2 days a week.

The less you earn, the more FTB you get, and there comes a point where it is more advantageous to not go to work, and stay at home with your kids. Or you can choose to work to maintain your skills and employ-ability.

I believe the price as an incentive point is about... Exactly right!

The cost is just enough to make it worthwhile keeping my partner working and keeping her skills current for when the kids go to school.

BUT, we could easily, at a doddle, scale back our spending and have one parent at home, taking into account the $10000 childcare saving and the increased FTB.

We have all the options, choices and accessibility in the world.

Everyone we know has even more choices as they have more grandparents available, Australia's greatest source of free labour, and some also live in suburbs where the cost is about 20% less, although they earn less so it works out about the same equation for them.

There should be no more subsidies for child care as I kid you not the centers raise their prices the next day.

Just read this article

"Claudia Bowman, a mother of three children under the age of four living in a Kings Cross apartment, said she belonged to a ''growing demographic of young families choosing to stay in this area once they decide to have kids or moving into the area after they have kids'"

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/childcare-shortage-councillors-left-holding-the-babies-20121105-28uj3.html#ixzz2BOM12qmk

So, you move, with a family, to an inner city trendy area with no parks and no childcare facilities, then complain that there are no parks or childcare facilities.

It's just like people who move next door to a pub, and complain about the noise and try to get the pub shut down.

We all have options, there are green fields as far as the eye can see, and affordable childcare places with plenty of vacancies if you want to live any any one of the 100s of un-trendy suburbs west of Darling st.

Oh the humanity!

'Claudia Bowman, a mother of three children under the age of four living in a Kings Cross apartment'

Hahahha. I just cant get over that. For the price of that Kings Cross apartment she could probably afford a 700sq metre property with house and pool just a 30 minute bus ride to the CBD.

''I literally door-knocked and people opened their doors and started crying [about the lack of inner-city childcare]'' Cr Scott said. ''I can't express to you the emotions.''

It's natural for parents to cry about their children to anyone who's silly enough to listen, but I cannot fathom the illogic that people want to have children and then complain because they want others to have them instead.