A GAP in childcare services is making life precarious for parents of pre-schoolers, resulting in the region’s State and Federal representatives calling for government help.

Late last week a forum was held in Portland on the issue, attended by local mothers, childcare staff and council representatives along with state Member for South-West Coast Roma Britnell, Federal Wannon MP Dan Tehan and the Federal early childhood education Opposition spokeswoman Angie Bell.

The overwhelming topic of conversation was about addressing a significant shortage of childcare places available in Portland and the wider Glenelg Shire.

New mother Eva Clark was at the meeting with one year-old son Rhodes in tow, and offered her story as an example.

“I just finished my studies, I actually had to get childcare out of town to finish that off,” she said.

“We had to basically relocate and stay with family in Geelong for a couple of weeks so I could complete it.

“I am back and working two days a week now, but my mum has had to help out.”

Ms Clark said all the mothers had similar stories, particularly those trying to re-enter the workforce.

“It seems like everyone is in the same boat, so it’s good that the issue is being brough to light.”

Ms Britnell said she had personal experience of the issue, as a state representative of the area, and as a mother who had children in childcare for decades.

“Over probably 30 years, I had my kids in just about every version of childcare there is, or was,” she said.

“I know the issue pretty well and I know it isn’t new, this has been a major concern in our area for more like 10 or 15 years.

According to Ms Britnell, the lack of places contributes to some of the other major issues the area is experiencing.

“When I was a young mum finding childcare for my kids was my problem, but this is everybody's problem now.

“This is not a childcare problem, this is not a young families’ problem, this is something for our whole community.

“We can't have people working in hospitality because they can't get someone to look after the kids, we can't get doctors to the area because they can't get someone to look after the kids.”

The Victorian Government in the leadup to November’s election announced that it will open a new childcare centre in Portland sometime in the next five years.

As previously reported in the Observer, the project is not specifically funded in the recent state budget, and the Department of Educationsaid construction and delivery was subject to planning, approvals and other variables.

Ms Britnell said the new centre lacked a proper investigation into the issue locally from the government.

“It's so insulting to the needs of young mums, and they have no date on it anyway so it's not even a genuine offer,” she said.

“One of the mums said quite clearly, this is no help to the people affected by this childcare gap now, their children will all be in school by 2028 when the government said this will be delivered.”

Instead, Ms Britnell suggested alternative measures would be to increase child to worker ratios, open more smaller childcare operations in pre-existing venues and other childcare services, and incentivise more people to train for the industry.

“I’ve also spoken to childcare workers in family daycare settings, they feel like they’re not being taken seriously, just looked at as a cottage industry of grandmas who are looking for something to do.

“That’s another area that should be looked at, to be incentivised, to help fill some of those gaps.

“We’ve got the venues we need already, what we actually need is an understanding and flexible government who can make the changes that will help this get fixed.”

All of these options, Ms Britnell said, still needed to have the caveat of ensuring that they are properly regulated and safe for children.

Child care training is available in Portland at South West TAFE and WDEA Works.

 WDEA training manager Nathan Isles said WDEA was very aware of the need for new workers in the industry.

Childcare is a very popular course at WDEA’s other locations, but not so much at Portland – Ms Isles said this is something they are trying to address, especially given the shortage locally.

They are currently running a free childcare “taster” course each Tuesday to try and recruit people back into the workforce, with parents or carers able to bring along children so they do not need to find a childcare or them.

“This is for young mums, dads or anyone else that are trying to transition back into the workforce and looking at childcare as a possible career option.

“It’s free, it’s not time demanding, and you don’t need to find somewhere for your child while it’s happening.”

With a slightly longer but less intensive courses (around 15 months for a certificate three qualification), Mr Isles said WDEA wanted to provide a different option to South-West TAFE’s childcare course.

Mr Isles is in regular contact with local providers, and said they need improved conditions to attract new workers.

“Primarily it's a case of them being overworked, and underpaid.

“They just don't have that ability to have an excess of staff and staffing.

“That’s simply the biggest issue that they face so they're having to turn away people because the ratios just aren't there.”

Mr Isles said more incentives to take up training also needs to be considered.

“It is a little bit of a chicken and the egg at the moment because if you look at the wages and the conditions of the early childhood educators, they really need to improve to make the whole industry and the whole sector more appealing,” he said.

“If those things start to happen, then all of a sudden it's going to be a little bit more appealing for more people to want to do it.”

Despite the state government’s action to provide new infrastructure, childcare largely comes under the Federal government’s purview.

Wannon MP Dan Tehan said the Federal Government needed to address two main concerns facing childcare services across the country – workforce shortages and regulations limiting places.

“We are in what is called a childcare desert, and what we need is more places for families here in southwest Victoria,” Mr Tehan said.

“Although the government has invested $4.7 billion into childcare, they haven't put anywhere near enough money into providing greater access to child care outside of the cities.

Mr Tehan is advocating an increase to one worker for every five children, up from the current ratio of one to four.

“It’s a simple thing, but the impact is enormous if it’s done right.”

“From the mothers (in Portland), the message was clear that they are really hurting as a result of not being able to access childcare.

“There was a lot of heartbreak in the stories that we heard about how it's impacting their ability to be able to work to deal with the current cost of living crisis, and also just concerns regarding the future.”