#32. Institutional Childcare’s Hidden Cost, Child Development & More Choices to Women | Jen Fleming

In this conversation, Jen Fleming outlines how the current Australian Childcare system doesn’t include parents in its design, or gives any kind of choice to parents. Jen is a mum to two young daughters and has firsthand experience of the difficulty many Australian families face in trying to fit rigid childcare arrangements around work and family life. Her frustration with the existing system, which she describes as exhausting and often misaligned with what felt right for her children, led her into grassroots advocacy.Join Jen Fleming at https://www.childcarechoice.com.au/#our-people00:00 Introduction to Childcare Challenges in Australia01:09 Understanding the Childcare Subsidy System04:43 The Debate on Institutionalised Childcare07:31 Advocating for One-on-One Care Models09:17 Education vs. Care: The Early Years12:01 Qualifications of Caregivers: A Comparative Analysis14:20 Government Policies and Parental Voices17:42 Profit Motives in Childcare21:33 Rural Childcare Solutions25:27 Budget Concerns and Economic Implications31:17 Regulatory Challenges in Home Care33:57 Who the Childcare really is for?38:25 The Need for Choice in Childcare42:32 Invitation to the Prime Minister44:06 The Importance of Parental Voices46:43 Conclusion and Call to Action--------------------------------------------------------------------Perth Dialogues is a platform to celebrate migrant success in Australia, bringing Australian and migrant communities closer and helping understand Australian issues.Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/ Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic --------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, atWebsite: https://nirmalsingh.au/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/