Advocates are calling for free rapid tests to workers and families to help better manage a predicted peak in cases at the end of January.Temporary closure figures from the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority show that on Saturday, there were 96 centres shut because of a “health emergency”.The figures were second only to New South Wales, where 260 closures appear under the same category.Health shutdowns can relate to outbreaks of any disease, such as whooping cough, but the surging figures in Victoria and New South Wales are believed to be heavily linked to the high Covid case numbers in both states.Parents intending to return to work have reported significant difficulties finding childcare options, with holiday programs also affected, amid warnings of further pressure on supply chains linked to staff shortages.Last week, the Andrews Government announced changes to close contact requirements in education to help ease pressure on workplaces.Along with other key industries, staff will be able to return to work if they are masked, regularly tested and have lunch in solo areas.Australian Childcare Alliance Victoria president Paul Mondo said he expected the current difficulties in the system to continue over the next three weeks.“January is quiet for attendance patterns and February is typically when things start to pick up,” he said.“As this (Covid) wave continues we would expect the pressures to grow.“What is happening in the community gets reflected in our sector … The workforce pressures are real and clearly there are circumstances where services have to fully or partially close due to lack of supply.“Whether the close contact changes that have been announced will solve the problem or not, that will play out over the next week or so.”Mr Mondo said closures were generally for one or two days.“It is not easy and we definitely understand for some families it’s hard to work if they don’t have their kids in care,” he said.“We’re in this phase where it is not only educators and teachers who are contacts, but a number of families who end up being in isolation.”Advocacy group The Parenthood is calling for clear guidelines on contact exposure and isolation requirements and free rapid tests for educators and families.The Parenthood’s executive director Georgie Dent said the current situation was “incredibly difficult” across the country.“It is so disappointing that once again we’ve got this critical sector at crisis point,” she said.“For parents it’s an absolute nightmare to navigate.“Workforce shortages are impacting Australians right across the board, as seen on supermarket shelves and on hospitals.“When you add another factor that makes it difficult to let Australians get to work, like care for children, it only adds to the problem.”
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