Cost-cutting and excessive paperwork are burning out the early childhood workforce and ultimately impacting child safety, a former educator says.
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See subscription optionsThe sector is under immense pressure, early childhood expert and industry consultant Chey Carter told AAP, governed by companies that are left to create their own interpretations of required procedures.
An Australian-first study released on Wednesday supports Ms Carter's claims, revealing educators are spending just two-and-a-half hours of uninterrupted time with children each day due to workloads and unpaid labour.
The University of Sydney study also found more than three-quarters of educators work an average of nine unpaid hours per week, directly impacting the quality of care they can give to children.
This is not surprising, according to Ms Carter, who has more than a decade of experience and previously worked at Affinity Education centres.
She explained the sector is largely privatised, with inconsistent regulation and limited government oversight.
"Lots of the paperwork educators are doing is not always necessary," Ms Carter said.
"It's more an interpretation from the provider of the regulatory requirement. You can walk into five different services and see five very different levels of paperwork and expectations."
The research surveyed 570 educators and indicates unpaid hours make up a significant portion of the overall workload.
At least 73 per cent of educators reported high workloads were undermining the quality of their service, while 76 per cent expressed concerns children were affected as a result.
The research found the burden of unpaid work, low pay and unrealistic expectations was unsustainable, with many educators reporting high levels of mental and physical exhaustion.
A 2023 report by the United Workers Union found 78 per cent of childcare centres had three or more staff leave within a 12-month period.
About 64 per cent agreed staff shortages had impacted the wellbeing or safety of children.
Early education director with the union, Carolyn Smith, said workers are expected to carry out many duties outside their job description.
She believes cost-cutting is a factor behind the expectation of out-of-hours work.
"You do wonder why a trained educator is being asked to clean the centre, take the rubbish out and do that sort of work," Ms Smith told AAP.
"That should be being spent with children."
Reforms in the childcare sector have been fast-tracked after Joshua Dale Brown was charged with 70 sex offences involving eight children under the age of two at a childcare centre in Melbourne.
Although safety reforms are necessary in the early childhood sector, urgent changes are also needed to support educators, rectify pay equity, and fix workload issues, the study found.
According to Ms Carter, the sector will begin to improve once staffing levels are adequately addressed and owners are held to account.
"It's just constant chaos," Ms Carter said.
Australian Associated Press
