National’s FamilyBoost policy fails to address a core problem within New Zealand’s early childhood education sector - that profit is a driving force for many centres, according to Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).

National has unveiled a plan to give families a 75 dollar tax credit towards childcare, but CPAG warns the policy doesn’t have the vision needed to overhaul a dysfunctional system.

CPAG education spokesperson Assoc Prof Dr Jenny Ritchie says National’s policy would allow big business to continue profiting while receiving government funding.

"What we have known for a long time is that the system is completely flawed. Government funding is being used to subsidise private childcare centres," Dr Ritchie said.

"Early childhood education is too important to be left in the hands of private investors. It should be prioritised as a public good and fully funded by the state in the same way we fund primary and secondary schools."

CPAG is also concerned that the current model favours middle-class and wealthy geographic areas where it is more lucrative to operate centres. This means families living in low-income communities are unfairly disadvantaged and do not have the same choices, disproportionately affecting Māori, Pasifika and sole-parent families.

CPAG would like to see parents given real choice about the care their child receives.

In the preschool years that means giving better access and funding to models that are not-for-profit, and community-based such as kindergartens, kōhanga reo, Playcentres, and in-home care, and which are committed to high quality culturally responsive provision.

CPAG is also calling for more robust monitoring of the sector which is currently shared between the Ministry of Education, the Teaching Council of New Zealand, and the Education Review Office.

There is no real mechanism at present for teachers to report bad practices without running the risk to their personal and professional wellbeing being harmed, and as a result many are leaving the sector disillusioned.

There is no doubt inflation is hitting families hard but National, and all political parties, would do better than to come up with a band-aid solution for a system that’s failing our children in the most important years of their lives.

CPAG wants to see policies that put caring for children at the centre, not enriching business.

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