Naomi Riley is in her 11^th year of having children under five and juggling part-time work with paid and unpaid childcare. 

“My youngest is in two days of kindergarten a week that is fully funded whereas my husband and I paid for our two girls to go to kindergarten and childcare,” said Naomi, a midwife and nurse, and mother of three children aged 10, eight and four. 

Cost-of-living for parents of children aged six and under rose by 27% between 2021-2024, climbing four times faster than the rate of inflation. A 2023 poll conducted on behalf of The Parenthood found 85% of families needed two incomes to manage the cost-of-living. 

The Albanese Government’s three days of subsidised childcare fee relief for about 66,700 families and extra hours for more than 100,000 families will take effect from January 2026. 

Families who gain access to additional childcare will save $1,460 a year on average from the measures, which apply to families earning between $50,000 and $100,000. 

“There is a huge proportion of the female-dominated nursing and midwifery workforce who are of childbearing age who this will support with more dollars in their pocket,” said Naomi. 

“We have thousands of dollars in our pocket from funded care for our youngest (with the Victorian government initiative) that we otherwise wouldn’t have. In the past we have had to fund childcare and often at times that hasn’t coincided with my working hours.” 

During this election, early education advocates have been campaigning for all parties to commit to delivering universally accessible, high quality early childcare education and care. This includes expanding the availability of services in regional, rural, and remote areas, fee free childcare for low-income households and a universal $10-a-day cap on fees for everyone. 

Progress towards a universal system has been driven by Labor, including a wage rise for educators, funding for childcare deserts and guaranteed access to three days of early learning for all children.  

3-day guaranteed childcare 

Federal Labor is replacing the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Activity Test from January 2026 to guarantee at least three days of subsidised early childhood education and care (ECEC) each week, regardless of activity levels. 

The Coalition voted against the Bill on the grounds that it would replace the activity test, despite a Productivity Commission review recommending the current parents’ activity test be scrapped as it hurts families who need it most without changing workforce participation. 

Most recently, the federal Opposition abandoned its policy of requiring all federal public servants in Canberra to work from the office five days a week, which was particularly worrying for parents, many of whom rely on flexible work arrangements to balance paid work and caring.

Shift worker-friendly childcare options 

Innovative, workable childcare options are needed to sustain workforce participation for the female-dominated nursing and midwifery professions, who are largely shift workers, said Naomi. 

Nurses and midwives were adjusting their own work patterns and relying on informal care arrangements to manage shift work and jobs outside the standard nine-to-five working week. 

“A standard early nursing shift starts at 7am, few centres are open early enough for you to manage drop off and get to work. You rely on a partner with an accommodating work schedule, the good will of others, or you have to pay for a nanny.” 

At the other end of the day, a late shift ends anywhere from 9-11 pm and, similarly, there’s limited options available, particularly if you’re a single parent, said Naomi. While some healthcare facilities offer onsite childcare for health professionals, those services are coveted and are not always practicable. 

The workforce issue is compounded in areas where there are childcare deserts, said Naomi. “If childcare isn’t available, particularly in a regional, rural or remote areas, nurses and midwives may need to consider relocating or reducing their shifts to accommodate their family needs.” 

Political parties’ commitment this federal election 

Of seven key policy recommendations to deliver a universal high-quality early childhood education and care system in Australia, the Greens have committed to implementing all seven, while Labor has fully or partially committed to six and the Coalition has partially committed to two. 

“Neither cost nor postcodes should be a barrier to a child participating in early education or a parent returning to paid work when that is required,” said advocacy group The Parenthood CEO Georgie Dent. 

To view The Parenthood’s election scorecard, visit here