Limited access to childcare is nothing new for families across the Western Plains.

Over the past few years, Western Plains App has reported on the many issues that surround this lack of resource and the ongoing effects, such as one parent being unable to seek employment.

Now a new state government initiative aims to inject some hope into the situation by encouraging flexible options for families.

In March, Bogan Shire Council reported that local facilities have long wait lists, this means that one parent is forced to stay home, putting pressure on finances and family relationships.

At the time, Megan Payne, a counsellor and stay-at-home mum of two children said she found waitlists to be an issue.

“As a mum I have been quite happy with the day care Centre, but we did have to wait 12 months before a spot came up for my daughter Izzy. I have had to structure my work around the days available at the day care, but my workplace is flexible so I am lucky,” said Ms. Payne.

In June, Gilgandra Shire Council held a Childcare Forum to address the shortage of available childcare in the area and the related challenges of retaining workers in the region.

"The meeting brought together essential services providers and we all gained an appreciation for the challenges we are all facing as a result of the lack of Child care services," David Neeves, General Manager at Gilgandra Shire Council said at the time.

If will come as no surprise to parents like Ms Payne that government research in July found it was more difficult to access Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in regional New South Wales given lower population densities, which naturally increases the distance households must travel to access services.

In areas like ours, ECEC services have reported persistently lower vacancy rates suggesting that the access issues in regional areas may reflect a persistent undersupply of services. One commonly cited reason for shortages in regional areas is a lack of staff.

The Catch-22 situation that often develops is that the viability of ECEC services in regional areas can reflect the challenges in providing services in areas with lower population densities.

Smaller ECEC providers (such as family day care) are more prevalent in regional areas, but they are disproportionately impacted by the costs of regulatory barriers in opening and maintaining an ECEC service.

Flexible Initiatives Trial

While not necessarily the answer to ongoing childcare issues the NSW Department of Education is now proposing a Flexible Initiatives Trail (FIT) to improve access to ECEC services in the regions.

With a pool of $20 million over two years, services across the state are encouraged to apply to participate in the FIT which will provide grants to fund new or adapted operating models.

For outer regional, remote and very remote areas of NSW, the trial will support the establishment of new family day care services.

Smaller and more dispersed communities could also benefit from:

• funding for staff recruitment
• transport for eligible children to and from care
• partnerships between two different service types to provide extended wrap-around care arrangements

Acting Deputy Secretary of Early Childhood Outcomes, Mark Barraket said an important part of the trial is to address the unique challenges faced by rural and regional communities.

"The Trial is not a one size fits all model, it is designed around the needs of each community. How it will look in Wollongong or Newcastle is very different to the new or adapted operating models that will be trialled in our state’s west.”

The trial is part of the NSW Government’s 10-year Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund, which will also include providing $500 per child of fee relief to 3-year-old children attending eligible preschool programs in long day care centres, effective from early 2024.