During the Battle of Bass debate, childcare was briefly touched on by the Labor and Liberal candidates despite an Australian report in March finding that 61 per cent of Tasmanians are living in an area with an acute shortage of childcare places.
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And early learning and childcare service providers Thrive Group director Sebastian Tuttle said the education and care sector needed an increase in funding and recognition.
"During the COVID-19 crisis we were seen as an essential service and our educators worked for the entirety of the crisis, yet now as we return to normal it is almost like we have been pushed back out of view again," he said.
Mr Tuttle referred to a report by the Australia Institute called The Economic Benefits of High-quality Universal Early Child Education.
"This report identifies that Australia needs to spend approximately $5 billion more per year to match the OECD average for Early Childhood Education and Care and $20 Billion per year to match the top countries," he said.
"Based on this paper and the growing body of research that identifies the impact and importance that education and care in the early years have on later quality of life.
"We would like to see a government making plans to move towards funding and supporting the sector appropriately."
Mr Tuttle said the issues of childcare in Tasmania are staff shortages, and a lack of appropriate training.
"There is a shortage of educators at all levels across the state, but diploma qualified educators and early childhood teachers, in particular, are in very short supply," he said.
"Family day care educators are also in very short supply which is an issue as they are best able to cater to unusual hours and small localities."
Mr Tuttle added there is also a lack of understanding of what working in the sector entails.
"Despite often being seen as a 'workforce solution' we are, in fact, education and care services and are legally required to provide education to children in our care," he said.
"Due to the age of the children in care we are often seen as more akin to babysitters, looking after children and keeping them healthy and occupied, than teachers educating children and keeping them safe."
During the debate, incumbent Bass MHR Bridget Archer said she didn't agree that cheaper childcare was the answer; saying more should be done to improve "flexibility in the system".
"It's not just around cost, it's around availability, but also in terms of access and where they are located," she said.
Ms Archer said reforms by the Coalition have made childcare cheaper.
Labor Bass candidate Ross Hart said childcare was the single most important thing government could do to support women in the workforce and pay equality.
"It's good for the economy, it's good for caregivers who want to return to the workforce, and it also increases the potential for childhood development," Mr Hart said.
Labor has announced plans to cut childcare costs for families.
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