DAVID KILLICK

MORE money for childcare is welcome news for Tamara Auld.

The mother of five is an early childhood educator herself and knows how hard it can be for families to afford quality childcare.

Federal budgets are usually a disappointment for the family because they don’t recognise the struggle that many have finding affordable care

“I know that every time that it comes up I get disappointed that there’s not enough for child care,” she said.

“What we need is more affordable childcare. I have five children, two in childcare so I know how expensive it gets.

The Federal government devoted another $1.7bn to improving childcare affordability in Tuesday night’s budget.

The policy will offer rebates of up to 95 per cent if you have two kids in daycare.

“250,000 families will be better off by an average of $2200 each year,’’ the Treasurer told parliament in his budget speech.

The subsidy is aimed at families earning under $130,000.

Ms Auld said the subsidy sounded like a policy that would help families.

“That would be a good thing. Even for one child with no subsidy you’re paying close to $1000 a fortnight. It’s more than I spend on my mortgage. It’s heading in the right direction, just very slowly.”

She said that in an ideal world, childcare would be affordable for all families, staff ratios would be reduced and there would be greater recognition of the critical role that professional early childhood educators played.