Additional Commonwealth funding for day care places welcomed

Community Services Minister Eric Ripper has welcomed the decision by the Federal Government to fund an extra 240 family day care places across Western Australia.

Mr Ripper was commenting after the Federal Minister for Aged, Family and Health Services, Mr Peter Staples, announced an additional $980,952 for family day care in WA.

Mr Ripper said family day care provided child care in private homes - often under local council co-ordination - with flexible hours, which enabled parents to continue participation in the workforce.

The Federal package allowed for a new family day care scheme to be established in the Pilbara with 100 places.  It also included 46 more places for Cottesloe, 40 extra places for Mandurah and Boulder and 14 additional places for Geraldton.

"Child care is one of the Government's most important mechanisms for supporting families and meeting the needs of younger children," Mr Ripper said.

"Meeting these needs heads-off future social problems and enables adults now, and our children in the future, to reach their full potential."

The Minister said substantially increasing the availability of child care was one of the key objectives in the State Government's 'Social Advantage' package.

"We will continue to work with the Commonwealth to boost the number of child care places available in this State," he said.