02.Results
Table 1: Problems with different types of childcare
| |
Percentage who experienced the problem |
| Problem |
Commercial (467 respondents) |
Community / not-for-profit (289) |
Family daycare (130) |
| High cost |
51 |
17 |
12 |
| High staff turnover |
26 |
18 |
2 |
| Too many children being looked after at once |
22 |
12 |
12 |
| Not enough staff |
18 |
11 |
5 |
| Fundraising for the centre (A) |
13 |
26 |
4 |
| Parking when dropping off or picking up children |
13 |
22 |
5 |
| Unsuitability of staff (not qualified or inexperienced) |
13 |
7 |
9 |
| Opening / closing times |
11 |
16 |
15 |
| Old or inadequate premises |
9 |
12 |
5 |
| Old or inadequate equipment |
8 |
8 |
9 |
| Difficult access for prams / strollers |
7 |
6 |
5 |
| Unhealthy or inadequate food |
6 |
4 |
2 |
| Security of premises (B) |
5 |
3 |
7 |
| |
Table notes
(A) For example, having to sell chocolates to raise money for new equipment.
(B) For example, stranger access; children can get out unobserved; no childproof gates.
Table 2: Percentage of survey respondents who experienced problems finding childcare*
| Problem |
Overall average (%)** |
ACT (48 respondents) |
NSW (427) |
Queensland (216) |
SA (75) |
Victoria (298) |
WA (134) |
Capital cities (960) |
Regional areas (275) |
| Long waiting lists |
64 |
79 |
66 |
73 |
56 |
65 |
49 |
68 |
51 |
| Lack of choice of which days |
44 |
48 |
45 |
47 |
48 |
39 |
45 |
45 |
39 |
| Lack of choice of number of days |
38 |
42 |
43 |
38 |
27 |
35 |
35 |
40 |
32 |
| Lack of choice of type of childcare |
28 |
21 |
27 |
34 |
23 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
28 |
| Lack of choice of hours |
18 |
10 |
21 |
17 |
16 |
17 |
22 |
19 |
17 |
| Difficulty getting childcare outside normal working hours |
14 |
4 |
18 |
10 |
5 |
13 |
18 |
14 |
15 |
| People behind you on the waiting list getting places before you |
12 |
10 |
11 |
16 |
7 |
13 |
8 |
12 |
9 |
| |
Table notes
* Results for the Northern Territory (12 respondents) and Tasmania (25) aren’t reported on a state basis because the number of respondents from each wasn’t large enough to give an accurate representation.
** Based on 1239 respondents, including the NT and Tasmania.
Table 3: Reasons for choosing the type of childcare (%)
| Reason |
Commercial (467 respondents) |
Community / not-for-profit (289) |
Family daycare (130) |
| Convenient location |
73 |
71 |
51 |
| Good premises |
60 |
53 |
40 |
| Quality of staff |
52 |
72 |
55 |
| The only one available |
45 |
28 |
29 |
| Was recommended to me |
37 |
44 |
44 |
| Convenient times to drop off and pick up |
32 |
26 |
33 |
| Good parking |
17 |
11 |
10 |
| Other |
10 |
13 |
26 |
| Cost |
9 |
24 |
49 |
| |