Childcare shortage fears as fees jump

The Department of Training and Workplace Development will monitor TAFE enrolments after the Federal Government removed its waiver for people studying childcare courses.

TAFE fees for childcare courses had been waived under a National Partnership Agreement since 2009 but this will expire this month.

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan has criticised the decision, which he says will add an extra $7500 to a diploma or advance diploma in childcare and raised fears it would lead to staff shortages in the regions.

There are fears it will add greater pressures to childcare centres in the region because at least half of staff at centres must be qualified with a diploma. Online Child Care Centre director Kathy McKrill says extra fees on a childcare course will be a disincentive for workers to study the course because they are already on low incomes.

"They are already low paid so to ask them to pay $7500 … means somewhere down the track they have to pay that back," she said.

While she said her staff were now trained she was worried about the next 12 months, because the high turnover in staff might make it harder to find childcare workers.

Department of Training and Workplace Development director general Dr Ruth Shean said the State Government would subsidise training places for childcare courses at TAFE, which is worth about $5000 a year.

Dr Shean said it would monitor TAFE enrolments next year to see if the removal of the waiver caused any "unintended consequences".

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