Page 4455 - Week 10 - Thursday, 23 September 2010
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community-based activities. It is a challenge not only for the government but for the community sector providers. It is something that we work with, which is why we have regular contact with these community-based organisations as to how do we respond best to those needs, with the resources and the activities that are available in the ACT.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Seselja?
MR SESELJA: Minister, what advice did the ACT Human Rights Office provide to the ACT government in relation to the lack of post-school options available to individuals with disabilities?
MS BURCH: I do not have a memory of the human rights commissioner making a comment or otherwise, but I am happy to take that on notice.
Childcare—staff
MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services. Minister, in order to implement the new child-to-staff ratios in 2012 in the childcare sector, how many new staff will have to be recruited into the sector in the ACT to maintain the current number of childcare places available to the under-twos?
MS BURCH: I would have to take that on notice to find out the absolute number, but at the moment 25 per cent of our services meet the existing requirements for under-twos.
Mrs Dunne: Well, there is 75 per cent that does not.
MS BURCH: That is right, Mrs Dunne, you can do maths—that is why this department has invested in supporting the transition to those qualifications, and it is my understanding that we will meet those qualifications and we will meet those workforce requirements by 2016. That is some way to go. That is why we have a professional support worker working with the community sector, which is why, through CIT, we are providing fee relief for those training there. What I hear from the sector is that there is an increase—I think it is a 30 per cent plus increase—in enrolments for CIT to do a certificate III, and, as I move around the childcare sectors, increasingly more and more of the workforce are moving into the higher qualifications.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, what is the current shortfall of staff across the ACT in the sector and how many centres currently have temporary exemptions from licensing requirements due to their appropriate staff not being available or because centres have been unable to recruit appropriately trained staff?
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