In-home Care Faces Crisis Amid Pay Hikes

0:00From Adelaide, this is your March 1st update. In-home care brings educators right to family homes for kids who can't reach regular child care, like those in remote spots or facing big challenges, from disabilities, illnesses, or protection issues. These services help vulnerable families, but they're left out of a key government plan to cover recent child care worker pay rises that started today. Providers warn they'll have to close without quick help, as the number of operators has dropped from 68 to just 23 since 2018. Bigger pay hikes are coming in July in 2027, making costs even tougher without subsidies that long day care centers get. Remote families, like cattle grazers in Queensland and the Northern Territory, say the service lets both parents work while keeping kids safe and learning at home. One mum pays over $1,300 every two weeks now, jumping to more than 1,600 with the new rise, forcing tough choices about, dropping the help.

1:00Operators stress this care focuses on the neediest kids, including those with medical or family violence risks, and three government reviews flag, affordability as a huge barrier. They back-to-pay increases but need matching support to avoid passing costs to parents. The government points to cheaper child care reforms that cut average family bills by $3,500 this year, saying, in-home care gets. Child care subsidies already. Officials are talking with the sector on worker support, while green senators push for faster action from families like nurses on shifts. The daily news now is presented by our sponsor, linked in the description, Comfort You Can Hear. Sound You Can Relax Into, S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com