The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been kind to Wagga Wagga mum Sarah Greenhill. She lost her aviation industry job and her husband’s wage was slashed right before they welcomed a new baby.
With a toddler and three older stepchildren also at home, the free child care scheme designed to support the sector during coronavirus restrictions had been a saviour for her family since it was introduced in April.
But the $1.5 billion scheme ends tomorrow and Ms Greenhill said that meant they could no longer afford to send 18-month-old Elliott to day care, and she was worried about what he would miss out on.
“[The educators] teach them so many skills and I’ve seen such an improvement in my son since he’s been going in terms of socialising with other kids,” she said.
“He’s learnt to share and he’s not so clingy any more.”
Ms Greenhill said having two small children at home full time would also make it more difficult for her to find a new job.
Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-12/free-child-care-ends-with-some-parents-devastated/12444252
For more from ABC News, click here: https://ab.co/2kxYCZY
You can watch more ABC News content on iview: https://ab.co/2OB7Mk1
Subscribe to us on YouTube: http://ab.co/1svxLVE
Go deeper on our ABC News In-depth channel: https://ab.co/2lNeBn2
You can also like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/abcnews.au
Or follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/abcnews_au
Or even on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abcnews
