A NEW website to help families find the right childcare service for their kids sounds all well and good, if it weren’t for the long waiting lists at local childcare centres.

The Australian Government has launched a new website to help families compare childcare services and fees: StartingBlocks.gov.au.

Wannon MP, Dan Tehan encouraged all families to visit the website and said it will have special appeal to the 250,000 families with more than one child aged under six who will get a higher subsidy soon.

However, the reality for many local parents and working families is that they are unable to get childcare at all.

Parents have told The Spectator that they have their children on extensive waiting lists at childcare centres in Hamilton.

Hamilton’s Good Shepherd Early Childhood Services service leader, Christine Sanders, said “there are some vacancies for over three-year-olds at the moment – however - there is an extensive waiting list for under three-year-olds”.

“Although we are fully staffed at the moment and operating at full capacity, there is a greater demand for childcare now that parents are returning to work after COVID-19 lockdowns – hence the long waiting list.

“We prioritise working families but there seems to be a bigger need than ever.”

Acting Minister for Education and Youth, Stuart Robert, said the website gives parents a new central place to make important choices about the early education and care needs for their children.

Mr Robert said that using StartingBlocks.gov.au will save families on average, $2260 per year, with families with three children in care saving up to $370 a week on out-of-pocket costs.

“I’m particularly excited because thousands of families will be able to see the significant savings they’ll make when the higher Child Care Subsidy we introduced comes into effect on March 7,” he said.

“We know how critical childcare is to around one million Australian families.

“In December, we removed the annual cap for all families who are eligible for childcare.”

However, Roscoe Avenue Children’s Centre, another Long Day Care facility in Hamilton, also has a long waiting list for families wishing to place their children in care.

Roscoe Avenue Children Centre also reported they have a big waiting list at present.

Another locally employed educator stated that they believe the waiting lists are attributable to challenges in employment and retainment of staff, as is the case with most childcare facilities at the moment and that there is a perception that employees in childcare centres are just baby-sitters, but in fact they are educators –educating children from babies through to five years of age.

Southern Grampians Shire Council (SGSC) offers Family Day Care services with qualified early childhood professionals working in their own homes or approved venues.

SGSC Family Day Care team leader, Kim Ailing said they also have a long waiting list for families seeking childcare.

“We are in the process of recruiting another educator at the moment which will help the waiting list, a little, bit,” she said.

StartingBlocks replaces the existing Child Care Finder website and families can visit StartingBlocks.gov.au to find local childcare services, view vacancies, compare costs, and check official quality ratings, including safety.