CHLDCARE educators have been leaving the industry in droves because of poor pay, with staff turnover in Canberra particularly high, according to Lyndal Ryan, secretary of the ACT branch of United Voice.

She says 180 staff leave the sector each week across the country, and that the Federal Government’s $300 million, two-year commitment to funding improved wages is “an important start, but a job half-done”.

“It’s a hard-fought win for the Big Steps campaign, but we mean to keep going until every childcare centre receives funding that’s ongoing and indexed,” she says.

Childcare workers earn between about $35,000 and $45,000, depending on qualifications.

Betty Lam, an early childhood educator at Baringa childcare centre in Spence, is an asset in an industry that has trouble retaining staff and maintaining the all-important continuity of care for children.

Betty says a passion for helping and teaching children keeps her in childcare, because she’s not there for the income.

“It’s more than just a job for me. I love the children, I love hearing their laughter, and I love having fun every day,” she says.

Betty, who has an advanced diploma in childcare services, says she fell into the industry without knowing how low the salary was. She admits it can be a struggle, and that she copes by sharing the cost of living with her partner, who earns a lot more.

“Some of the staff here have left because they felt they needed to get a ‘real’ job and earn more money to support themselves or their family,” she says.

This is a common reason people give for moving on, says Lyndal.

“We don’t hear of people moving on to a similarly paid job,” she says. “The government has recognised that poor wages is the most significant reason why there are issues with retaining staff in the sector.

“Many leave for better-paid jobs that are less personally satisfying.”

Ex-childcare worker Peter, 20, would agree – he says he made the decision to leave the industry because he just couldn’t move his life forward on the wages.

“I had to start thinking about my future,” he says. “I really, really enjoyed working with children and hanging out with them, seeing them progress.

“But it was just too hard. I couldn’t save for anything, go anywhere or buy anything for my girlfriend. I couldn’t even move out of home.”

Peter has now picked up work as a labourer with his mates, but he’s not enjoying it. “It’s definitely not as fulfilling, so it’s not good, but money-wise it’s a lot better,” he says.

Melissa Heath, 21, says she left a career in childcare to go back to uni to study a bachelor of education.

“I wanted to stay working with children, but earn a salary that reflects how important the work is, which isn’t the case with childcare,” she says. “I also couldn’t afford the lifestyle I wanted. And I’m not extravagant! I would have stayed if it was going to benefit my future.”

Like Peter, Melissa says she misses working in childcare. “I loved working with children, it was a wonderful environment and very enriching,” she says. “But it can also be a stressful environment and I think the pay should reflect the work we do.

“In childcare there’s no incentive to stay on and get more qualified, because the pay increase isn’t even that much.”

Lyndal says the government funding, to come into effect on July 1, has also boosted morale, with the affirmation that childcare is now a recognised profession.

“We’re hoping that this funding will create stability in the sector, which will lead to further support from the Government in the future,” she says.

“We just need to get past the day-to-day problems of ‘another employee is leaving my centre today and I need to employ someone tomorrow’.”