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Thread. Stop getting all excited about free childcare.
Home truths and truisms. My SO works in the industry at various levels - planning, educating, training, and caring.
1. ONLY the Coronavirus caused this move. You all know it, of course, but it bears repeating.
A rich âfirst worldâ country should *already* have free childcare.
1. ONLY the Coronavirus caused this move. You all know it, of course, but it bears repeating.
A rich âfirst worldâ country should *already* have free childcare.
2. Consider public schools. If you send a kid to a Government school, ***you. still. pay.*** Sure, books, hats, occasional uniforms, excursions, camps are okay. BUT. You are still expected to get behind fund raising. Buy cakes.
Because your TAX dollars donât suffice.
Because your TAX dollars donât suffice.
3. The public school system, then, is demonstrably underfunded.
(No room here to bleat about your tax dollars going to private schoolsâbut please try to help stop it.)
The childcare system is less funded; itâs basically privatised. Councils help but itâs ALL fee-for-service.
(No room here to bleat about your tax dollars going to private schoolsâbut please try to help stop it.)
The childcare system is less funded; itâs basically privatised. Councils help but itâs ALL fee-for-service.
4. If we posit that childcare system in Australia should be freeâor at least that there should be a component of the system that is âas freeâ as the public school systemâmany of us quite legitimately opine that it should have been done years ago, but letâs face forwards.
5. Itâs easy to get excited about this, but we must look at:
(a) motives for a âchildcare is now freeâ announcement;
and, much more importantly,
(b) the context and environment in which this endeavour has suddenly surfaced.
(a) motives for a âchildcare is now freeâ announcement;
and, much more importantly,
(b) the context and environment in which this endeavour has suddenly surfaced.
6. Itâs easy to answer (a).
(i) Makes the government look good; people like myself bar up momentarily.
(ii) You all know this one:
It. Allows. Adults. To. Work.
I like that in principle, but right now only in principle.
Which leads me to point (b), and the actual risk of death.
(i) Makes the government look good; people like myself bar up momentarily.
(ii) You all know this one:
It. Allows. Adults. To. Work.
I like that in principle, but right now only in principle.
Which leads me to point (b), and the actual risk of death.
Simply: childcare, at typical attendance rates,
***cannot support or achieve infection control*** under the conditions of COVID-19.
If Mum and Dad go to work, their kids will be very close to the workersâmostly womenâat childcare.
Transmission WILL result. In fact IT WILL ABOUND.
***cannot support or achieve infection control*** under the conditions of COVID-19.
If Mum and Dad go to work, their kids will be very close to the workersâmostly womenâat childcare.
Transmission WILL result. In fact IT WILL ABOUND.
8. No attempt is made here to insult anyoneâs intelligence. But the risk profile is NOT WORTH any economic imperative.
Think about this: efficiency of transmission afforded by childcareânappies, snot, unsettled bairns needing a cuddleâexceeds schools.
Which are currently shut.
Think about this: efficiency of transmission afforded by childcareânappies, snot, unsettled bairns needing a cuddleâexceeds schools.
Which are currently shut.
9. Yes, of course schools will reopen one day, but letâs look at the immediate.
Also since a few tweets ago youâve thought, **health care workers: help them get to work.**
They are at the TOP of the âessentialâ list, and must have primacy in the management of people movement.
Also since a few tweets ago youâve thought, **health care workers: help them get to work.**
They are at the TOP of the âessentialâ list, and must have primacy in the management of people movement.
10. Attempts by me to offer solutions will be meagre, so firstly I recommend:
(a) talking to *everyone* you know who works in childcare and/or health;
(b) without overdoing it, keeping abreast of the CDC and NIH latest news, not commercial MSM;
(c) staying the FUCK at home.
(a) talking to *everyone* you know who works in childcare and/or health;
(b) without overdoing it, keeping abreast of the CDC and NIH latest news, not commercial MSM;
(c) staying the FUCK at home.
11. So maybe^ start with: childcare free; hold places; temporarily subsidise OVERstaffing to support attendance by the kids of HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
NOT my, or most peoplesâ, kids.
Sorry, this virus is not sentient. You and I might give a fuck, but it donât.
^I'm probably wrong.
NOT my, or most peoplesâ, kids.
Sorry, this virus is not sentient. You and I might give a fuck, but it donât.
^I'm probably wrong.
12. Iâm probably wrong, and I will continue to support free childcare, but make no mistake. âSocial distancingâ and infection control, at typical [childcare professional:child] ratio, WILL FAIL.
IT WILL PUT YOUR CHILD, THE STAFF, YOURSELF AND EVERYONE AT UNACCEPTABLY HIGH RISK.
IT WILL PUT YOUR CHILD, THE STAFF, YOURSELF AND EVERYONE AT UNACCEPTABLY HIGH RISK.
13. I admit I am genuinely concerned for my own life, and that of all loved ones, some more vulnerable than others. Please consider whatâs really important. âFood on the tableâ I know, so we must push for more real government support. I wish I had more answers.
Stay safe.
/bed
Stay safe.
/bed
