Media release

New children's services report a first

The ways in which key child care and preschool services are funded and delivered in each State and Territory are described for the first time in a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Children's Services in Australia 1996: Services for Children under School Age focuses on the roles and responsibilities of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments and is the first attempt to describe in detail how the child care system operates.

Author of the report, Ms Helen Moyle, said 'Australia's child care system is currently under the microscope with changes to the provision and funding of child care services being discussed. We hope that this report will inform the debate by describing what happens at present. For example, the report shows the Commonwealth's emphasis on growth in work-related child care compared with the State and Territory focus on preschools and occasional care.'

The report outlines the structure, funding, administration and regulation of child care and preschool services for children under school age, and the responsibilities of those organisations providing and delivering these services.

It also covers the important issue of linkages between preschool services and other services-for instance, the way in which preschool functions are being demanded increasingly in other child care areas.

'Many parents want their children to have the benefit of the preschool experience, but many working parents are finding the operating hours of preschools an increasingly large obstacle to this', said Ms Moyle.

Other findings of the report include:

In most States and Territories, 90% of children in the relevant age group are reported to be enrolled in a preschool program.
There is considerable variation in the way in which preschool services are funded and provided between the States and Territories, and also in the ages at which children are eligible to attend.
The licensing and regulation of children's services vary markedly between the States and Territories.
National standards have been adopted for long day care and family day care, and long day care centres are now involved in a national accreditation system to ensure the delivery of a quality service.

Canberra, 11 November 1996

Further information: Helen Moyle, ph. 02 6244 1188 or 04 1923 9581 (mobile).
For media copies of the report and general media liaison: Amanda Nobbs, ph. 02 6244 1028 or 02 6242 6232 (ah).
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications Catalogue for details.