Not much seems different from the outside, but the role of the 'Educator' has evolved from 'glorified babysitter' to become the personal Teacher, Carer, Janitor, Sleep consultant, Nurse, Administrator, Photographer, Biographer, and Entertainer of your children who we care so much about and want the absolute best for.

You wouldn't always know from the way that your child's Educator smiles, welcomes and supports you so joyfully each day, but the Early Childhood sector is in crisis. Educators earning twenty-ish dollars an hour are suffering from genuine burnout and disillusionment, and skilled, knowledgeable and passionate Educators are leaving the sector in droves, because there are simply not enough hours in a working day to complete the mountains of tasks expected, and we can't sacrifice any more of our unpaid personal time to get these done without damaging our relationships with our own kids, our family and our mental health. We are leaving because we can no longer afford to scrape through on a wage that is offensive to the skilful, important, meaningful, exhausting work we complete each day, especially when a chunk of our wage usually goes back into buying the resources needed for your child's learning because the owners taking the profits aren't willing to buy them, and we care so much about your children we can't bear to see them miss out.

The Government is allocating extra funds to childcare, so that families can actually afford to work, and to live, knowing their children are being cared for, nurtured, educated and celebrated. This is so wonderful, we are so grateful your child and your family don't have to miss out on the best opportunities during those first, most important formative years!   At the same time, even though we, the Educators are the ones who plan, scaffold and professionally analyse your child's learning, create wonder, joy, and delight for them each day, not to mention scrub the toilets, sinks, windows and resources ourselves so that the cost of a cleaner is eliminated from business overheads, and eat cold Hawaiian pizza in lieu of payment for the monthly endless meetings we are required to attend outside of our weekly hours, none of the contributions the Government will make will support us.  

Without change, we will continue to earn our twenty-something dollars an hour, continue to drown in paperwork, and dirty nappies, and checklists, and digital learning, continue to spend our free time, and our last dollars on ideas that will support your child to be the incredible human they are capable of becoming, and we will eventually come to the point where our mental health is suffering with pressure to complete the role of the Teacher, Carer, Janitor, Sleep Consultant, Nurse, Administrator, Photographer, Biographer, and Entertainer in an 8 hour day, and our children and partners are suffering because we can't possibly do that so we take work home, and our finances are suffering because as you are aware, $700 doesn't pay for the cost of living any more, and eventually, we will come to the point where we are forced to walk away, a lot later than our families, and our mental health and our bank manager need us to, because we worry for too long about who will be there for your child if we leave.

And the person who does replace us isn't really motivated to give much to your child, because they are tired from cleaning the toilets, and the kitchens, and the sandpit and the windows, and they only earn twenty something dollars an hour, so really, they are just a 'glorified babysitter' who is disgruntled that they are expected to be the Janitor, Sleep Consultant, Nurse, Administrator, Photographer, Biographer, and Entertainer as well, and so your child goes without that moment that would have inspired them to wonder and think, and solve problems, and become the best version of themselves they could possibly be.

We are so passionate about what we do, we adore your children, and your family, it is an absolute honour to share our days learning with your littlest family members, wiping their noses, feeding, changing, comforting, settling, caring, playing, educating and exploring the world with them. We couldn't think of anything that would ever bring us more fulfilment, and it would break our hearts to walk away, but we simply can't do it any more.  All we want is to be treated fairly, to be recognised for the crucial role we play in keeping the entire nation moving. During COVID, we were there, Essential Workers, showing up every single day, not protected, not 'from home' not even, on JobKeeper. We turned up just as committed and passionate as always, and we made the world as safe and normal as we possibly could for your children each and every day. 

Where would the country be if we weren't here? What would happen? Would anyone be able to keep the nation moving if we suddenly weren't available?
All we are asking for is acknowledgement that we ARE essential, that the role we play in our nation is vital, and that we deserve to be respected for this.

If the Government is examining Early Childhood Education, they need to look at Educators first, and create reform that recognises and reimburses us for the skilled, knowledgeable, imperative professionals we are.

We urge you to please sign the petition, requesting that the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and the Members of Parliament responsible for the Early Childhood Education sector make immediate, meaningful reforms to the Children's Services Award, seeing Educators paid a professional wage, and ensuring that as professionals, our role and responsibilities are to Educate children in the Early Years, not be utilised by private investors as commodities to cut the cost of overheads.

Your support means everything, not only to the Educators who currently work in the sector, but also in ensuring that the sector recovers, and passionate, professional Educators can continue to create the best possible opportunities and outcomes for children during their formative years, leading to lifelong impacts as they become the innovators, thinkers, problem solvers, creators and advocates of the future.