Workforce pressures and ACA action

Many thanks to those of you who completed our recent survey about workforce issues.

The survey results reflect a situation we have been concerned about for some time - over 90 per cent of  respondents Australia-wide said have found it more difficult to meet the requirements for Educator to child ratios during the last year.

In terms of the underlying reasons for these difficulties, 74 per cent of all respondents cited insufficient long-term educator supply, with 51 per cent reporting that staff leaving their service had contributed to this.

79 per cent also cited short-term COVID/illness-related absences without adequate casual/relief staff as a major contributor. In terms of the impact, 33 per cent of all surveyed  reported that they have had to reduce child numbers in order to meet the minimum staffing requirements as required by the relevant law and the regulations.

ACA National is engaging heavily with Minister Stuart Robert about this critical issue as well as with political candidates as part of our pre-election engagement campaign.

If you have had to reduce child numbers due to lack of staff and you would be comfortable being featured in a media story, please let us know as soon as possible by contacting ACA's National Communications Manager, Celia Falkland on 0432 430 295. We thank you in advance for your support. 

PUBLISHED: 3 MAY 2022

ORIGINAL SOURCE: ACA NATIONAL NEWSLETTER APRIL 2022