BUDGET MONEY TO TARGET CHILD CARE CENTRES
Published Monday, 21 May, 2007 at 04:24 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Communities, Disability Services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
The Honourable Warren Pitt
The Queensland Government has allocated more than $2 million to the Department of Communities in 2007–08 to strengthen its role in monitoring and licensing child care centres, Premier Peter Beattie and Minister for Communities, Warren Pitt, announced today.
Mr Beattie said that $2 million would be spent employing an extra 10.5 full-time-equivalent community support officers to monitor the growing number of child care services.
He said another $255,000 would be spent on training and support for new and existing community support officers, who were the frontline inspectors in ensuring child care centre operators meet their licence conditions.
“The growth in Queensland’s population has been accompanied by growth in the child care sector, with more than 2285 child care centres, including 541 licensed school-age care services, now operating in the state,”
“This number, which has increased 18 per cent in just one year, means that more community support officers are needed to help us meet our target of inspecting 85 per cent of child care centres at least twice each year.
“These officers will visit child care centres and ensure they are up to scratch and complying with licence conditions.”
Mr Pitt said the funding boost for next year followed a similar injection of $2 million in last year’s state budget for improved child care centre monitoring.
“The Queensland Government is serious about ensuring the safety of our children in child care centres and has provided this extra funding to continue the department’s strong record in enforcement and monitoring,” Mr Pitt said.
“Last year alone, departmental officers conducted 6401 visits to child care services and I expect that number will increase substantially with this extra funding.”
Mr Pitt said the Department of Communities would also review the Child Care Act 2002 to make sure it supported the provision of high-quality child care services.
“This review will determine whether changes are needed to ensure our legislation supports services that protect the best interests of children receiving child care,” he said.
21 May, 2007
Further inquiries: Premier’s Office: 3224 4500
Minister’s Office: 3235 4288
Mr Beattie said that $2 million would be spent employing an extra 10.5 full-time-equivalent community support officers to monitor the growing number of child care services.
He said another $255,000 would be spent on training and support for new and existing community support officers, who were the frontline inspectors in ensuring child care centre operators meet their licence conditions.
“The growth in Queensland’s population has been accompanied by growth in the child care sector, with more than 2285 child care centres, including 541 licensed school-age care services, now operating in the state,”
“This number, which has increased 18 per cent in just one year, means that more community support officers are needed to help us meet our target of inspecting 85 per cent of child care centres at least twice each year.
“These officers will visit child care centres and ensure they are up to scratch and complying with licence conditions.”
Mr Pitt said the funding boost for next year followed a similar injection of $2 million in last year’s state budget for improved child care centre monitoring.
“The Queensland Government is serious about ensuring the safety of our children in child care centres and has provided this extra funding to continue the department’s strong record in enforcement and monitoring,” Mr Pitt said.
“Last year alone, departmental officers conducted 6401 visits to child care services and I expect that number will increase substantially with this extra funding.”
Mr Pitt said the Department of Communities would also review the Child Care Act 2002 to make sure it supported the provision of high-quality child care services.
“This review will determine whether changes are needed to ensure our legislation supports services that protect the best interests of children receiving child care,” he said.
21 May, 2007
Further inquiries: Premier’s Office: 3224 4500
Minister’s Office: 3235 4288