Imagine living in a town where three or more families are competing for a single early learning place. This is the reality for many families in regional, rural and remote Australia. Experts call these areas “childcare deserts”.
A 2024 study found about 24% of Australians live in a childcare desert. This rises to 43% of those in regional areas and more than 80% in remote areas.
When we talk about access to early education, we often – understandably – focus on its beneficial impact on children’s development. But what about the impact on families with young children? And, in particular, parents’ health?
In our new research, we found a lack of access to early education can also touch many parts of family health and wellbeing.
Our research
Our research uses data from a previous study designed by parent advocacy group, The Parenthood.
In 2022 and 2023, The Parenthood spoke to 155 parents in childcare deserts to understand their experiences. Participants came from all around the country, with the majority from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
In our study, we re-analysed this data, with a focus on the World Health Organization’s “determinants of health”. These are different factors that shape our health – and include where we live, gender, our income and education level, and our relationships with friends and family.
We used The Parenthood’s data as it was a rich source of parents’ stories. And we used the determinants of health as a comprehensive way to understand families’ health and wellbeing.
Income and social status
As the WHO explains, higher income and social status are linked to better health outcomes.
In our study, parents described how their income and sense of self were impacted when they struggled to pay early education fees, or find work to suit the available early education days.
Some had to “choose between paying the car repayments, rent, food or childcare” if they worked in low paying jobs. Others talked of the challenges of finding “any work based on our limited days in care”, meaning they couldn’t progress in their careers.
Many spoke of the grief of giving up careers they had spent time and money training for, knowing the community needed their essential work skills. This affected their identity, with one stating they felt “subjugated and valueless”.
Many parents spoke of chronic stress of not being able to access an early learning place. As one parent noted:
This has had a direct and long-lasting impact on my work, our family budget and […] my mental health.
Another explained:
One daycare [said] I was 170th on their list […] This added pressure [after] my rough postpartum ride.
Education
As the WHO notes, low education levels are linked with poor health, more stress and lower self-confidence.
Our study found education for both parents and children were affected if they didn’t have access to early education.
Parents said they couldn’t attend “additional days” or “mandatory training” at work. Others said trying to study and completing large practical placement hours were “enormously challenging” or said studying was impossible. One parent reported even getting an hour’s break from caring to attend driving lessons was difficult.
Others spoke about how a lack of access to early education – and interacting with educators and other children – had an impact on their children’s development of critical skills such as speech. This also impacted their transition to school.
Social support networks
Greater support from families, friends and communities is also linked to better health outcomes. But if parents had to be home with children all the time, our study showed they missed out on the social and psychological benefits of work.
If they did manage to get back to work even for a day, they noted it provided positives, such as “space, clarity, purpose and, maybe most importantly, adult social interaction”.
Another acknowledged:
To get back into the workforce would be good for my social and emotional wellbeing.
Gender gaps
We know health can be impacted by gender issues, such as women’s financial dependence on men and power imbalances in relationships.
The gendered impact of childcare deserts was also obvious in the study – as many women were the primary carers. They talked about being left at home with a youngest child while the older (less needy) child accompanied their father on the farm. One woman explained:
I had to cease my career and become the primary carer. [That] affected me […] personally and professionally.
The differences in income between women and men were stark. As one woman noted:
My husband [is] the main financial provider for our home.
Another shared:
[I’m] more dependent on my partner than I would like.
What now?
Our study shows how the health of parents and children is at risk without access to early learning. In childcare deserts, families miss out on many supports.
As governments seek to expand access to services, these gaps in quality early education should be recognised and addressed.
As one parent noted, a lack of access to early education “costs” low-income families, women and children’s learning and development. “It perpetuates privilege” – privilege associated with where you live, the type and hours of the work you do and your gender.
CELA commentary on this topic:
The research outlined in this article rings true for many of the families CELA has spoken with in childcare deserts across Australia. We partner with councils and communities to pinpoint early education gaps and secure the investment needed to expand services. In a recent consultation in South Australia, participants reflected on the broader pressures families face, below are just some of the important comments that were shared:
“We wrap our arms around the child, so we know that they are fine here. But who is looking after mum and dad?"
“Not only does it sort of hold your career back, but it's a whole period of time where you're missing out on income and social [opportunities], and the region misses out on the money that gives you the ability to diversify.”
“Parents are having to dip into their family connections and contacts to get childcare. The options are very limited. Some of the consequences are really quite bad.”
CELA listens to families and services on the ground and advocates for them at government level. We believe that improving access to early learning can ease the health, economic, and gendered burdens families face—ultimately helping create more secure, less stressful, and more equitable opportunities for everyone.
The authors acknowledge the work of Maddy Butler for collecting the data, and co-investigator, Navjot Bhullar from the University of Canberra.
This article first appeared in The Conversation, and has been republished with permission of the authors.
About the authors:
Marg Rogers is Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education and Post Doctoral Fellow, Manna Institute, University of New England
Margaret Sims is a Professor of Early Childhood at Macquarie University
Michelle Gossner is a PhD candidate at the Manna Institute, CQUniversity Australia