By LUCY KIPPIST
What a shame the much anticipated Productivity Commission draft report into childcare launched today didn’t consult with any ACTUAL parents.
Well, if they did it’s hard to imagine who they asked – why would anyone want to send the grandparents to TAFE so they can look after the kids?
Yes that’s right. The Productivity Commission has recommended that grandparents join nannies and all other types of childcare workers at TAFE to complete a Certificate 111 in early childhood education before they ‘take on the job’ of minding the grandkids.
Isn’t once having been a parent to young children yourself not enough of a prerequisite?
Apparently not. According to a report by the SMH today, the ‘quality of care’ would also be scrutinised by a national auditor, with ‘providers’ AKA Grannie and Pop, being subject to “targeted random checks”.
Whoa. What? Isn’t that a bit serious? Hard to imagine how well that would go down with Grandma and Grandpa who are already giving up a part of their week to spend time with the grandkids.
Also, where also does the Commission expect these grandparents will find the time to study anyway? Most of the grandparents I know are still working. And with the recent prediction that most of us will be working till 70 anyway, that doesn’t look likely to change.