In Norway, access to childcare is not a privilege reserved for a wealthy few with working arrangements that neatly fit the opening hours of childcare centres. It’s a near universal right.
Norwegian parents are offered child benefits to apply and pay for full-time spaces in childcare centres. Those who choose to stay home to look after their small children receive a “cash-for-care-benefit” (the benefit was recently adjusted by the current government). The benefit can also be used to acquire private care.
It’s a far cry from what parents receive in Australia, where accessing affordable childcare is near impossible for some, while flexible places are practically a pipedream (despite the Federal government’s recent pilot program offering a limited number of places for shift workers).
KPMG managing partner Rosheen Garnon noted the two extremes during a recent interview with Women’s Agenda.
“Everyone knows that getting more women into the workforce carries a productivity gain for the economy,” she said. “For me, [the issue] is about how we can make it easier for women in terms of balancing family and work. Accessible childcare is really important. If we want all of these women to be back in the workforce now, we simply don’t have enough places.”
But it’s not simply a problem for governments to solve. And while both sides of politics have made some promises regarding childcare – including the Coalition’s Productivity Commission – our accessible, flexible and affordable childcare issues are unlikely to be solved anytime soon.
Instead, Garnon says childcare is a “collective responsibility” and calls on employers to do more. “There’s a role to play in the tax system, and also for employers to play in being encouraged to help offer more childcare places.”
In keeping with the Norwegian experience, it’s also worth noting a recent Norwegian study of 75,000 children which academic Andrew Whitehouse writes about today.
The study found that regardless of the amount of time children spent in childcare, there was little evidence to suggest it caused behavioural problems – despite studies in other countries reporting it does. According to Whitehouse this is due to two factors in Norway: near universal access to childcare centre care as well as regulated quality standards.
In Norway, quality and accesible childcare’s a given, regardless of whether you’re wealthy or poor. There’s now little difference between the participation rate of mums and none-mums in the workforce, according to recent research.
The Norwegian scheme is state-funded, still contentious and by no means perfect. However it’s one option that’s produced a quality childcare system that’s flexible, affordable and accessible.
Surely there’s a way we could create our own too?