Frustrated early childhood educators say they are unappreciated, undervalued and so underpaid that they are being forced to work additional jobs to cover their living expenses.
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Educators are earning up to one third less than many teachers, despite the responsibility and training their job entails, according to United Voice Tasmania secretary Jannette Armstrong.
Employees have already started turning their back on the sector after feeling the community did not recognise the time and effort they put into their careers.
Ms Armstrong said she would like to see further expenditure put into the sector to increase educator wages without parents being forced to pay higher fees for early learning services.
Launceston early childhood educator Corrina Von Stieglitz said she was worried the job’s low pay and lack of recognition would discourage potential employees from working in the field.
Ms Von Stieglitz said despite working nine days each fortnight as an educator, she also worked weekend and night shifts in other jobs to make extra money.
“The paperwork involves a fortnightly curriculum, individual plans for children and recording each day’s information like sleep times and any medication because parents are interested in seeing that,” she said.
“A lot of people just think of us as minders for their children but I believe we’re a lot more than that – we have a lot of responsibility for the children in our care.
“I know people struggle with our wages and I do know that people are looking for other employment.”
Ms Armstrong said she had already seen many people leaving the sector because their pay conditions were not good enough.
“We love what we do on one hand and it’s really fulfilling and rewarding, but it’s really difficult to make ends meet,” she said.
“I know that a lot of the child care educators are finding that they’re actually having to mentor and give advice to teachers … but they’re getting paid significantly less.”
Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said one of the most important factors in a child’s learning was their educator.
“We value and support educators who support Tasmanians from birth to graduation; they have the capability to transform lives and significantly influence our state for the better,” Mr Rockliff said.