Auckland Housing Boom Driving Increased Demand for Childcare

Auckland Housing Boom Driving Increased Demand for Childcare

Tuesday 19 July 2016 - Parents are struggling to find childcare in Auckland, as booming property prices drive the need for dual incomes for families with young children.

With Auckland’s population growing, the increase in the number of children under five years of age combined with the increasing cost of living is placing a strain on families to find in-home childcare, with demand outstripping supply in many areas.

“We have always struggled to find Educators for families in areas such as Remuera, Parnell, Mt Eden, Ponsonby, and Grey Lynn, with demand driven by most parents needing to return to work to cover the cost of living. But we are now noticing this trend extending to areas such as Takanini and Howick, where this hasn’t been an issue before. We believe this is most likely due to families with young children having to move further out to afford housing, but still needing dual incomes to make ends meet” said PORSE General Manager, Kerry Henderson.

PORSE believes the problem of high demand arising from families needing dual incomes could actually provide the solution to the problem of a shortage of in-home educators.

“We know it is no longer an option for the majority of families to have one stay-at-home parent. It’s really hard to juggle childcare and family finances in an environment where the cost of living is so high.

“But the silver lining is that for those families where a single income is not quite viable, being an Educator could be the perfect solution. You can fulfil your desire to be a stay-at-home parent, but contribute to the household income by also providing home-based care for other children in your area”.

Mrs Henderson said Educators in some areas are earning between $18-$10 per hour per child (depending on experience and training), with a maximum of four children in care at any one time.

“The great thing about being an in-home Educator is that in addition to caring for your own child, you get support from PORSE to ensure all children in your care get the best possible start in life. And for a parent who has to return to work, it’s really nice for them to know their children are still in a home environment, getting the kind of attention and care they would provide.

“It’s a win-win all round”.

PORSE is keen to hear from anyone interested in becoming an Educator, and invites people to call them on 0800 023 456 to find out more, or to visit their website for further information on becoming an Educator at www.porse.co.nz/work-at-porse.

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