Senator Chris Evans asked the Minister for Family and Community Services, upon notice, on 16 April 1999:

With reference to community-based long day care, providing the most recent information for all states and individual states:

(1) (a) How many families are using community-based long day care; and (b) how many children are enrolled.

(2) What are the average weekly fees for community-based long day care.

(3) What is the average weekly child care assistance paid for community-based long day care.

(4) What is the average weekly `gap' fee for community-based long day care.

(5) (a) What is the number of community-based long day care services; and (b) can a list of their addresses be provided.

(6) (a) How many community-based long day care services have opened since January 1996; and (b) can a list of their addresses be provided.

(7) (a) How many community-based long day care services have closed since January 1996; and (b) can a list of their addresses be provided.

Senator Newman (Family and Community Services; Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women) —The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1)

Source: 1997 Census of Child Care Services

(2)

Source: Child Care System (CCS) for quarter ended March 1999

(3) and (4)The average amount of Childcare Assistance paid on a weekly basis varies due to changes in family income, childrens' hours of attendance, school and public holidays and other variable factors. However almost 60% of families receiving Childcare Assistance receive the maximum level, and the following examples provide information of a family with one child receiving the maximum level of Childcare Assistance.

A family enrolling their child in community-based long day care for (a) 30 hours per week: would have a weekly fee of about $105.00, receive $57.90 in Childcare Assistance, $8.00 as Childcare Rebate and pay a gap fee of $39.10 per week.

The same family enrolling their child for (b) 50 hours per week: would have a weekly fee of about $169.00, receive $96.50 in Childcare Assistance, $15.60 as Childcare Rebate and pay a gap fee of $56.90 per week.

(5) (a)

Source: CCS for quarter ended March 1999

Note that this data reflects services recorded as of the end of March 1999 and this should be taken into consideration if comparing these figures to those supplied in answer to Question 1 (Number of children and families) which were based on 1997 Census data.

(b) A list of addresses has been forwarded to the honourable Senator.

(6) (a) and (7) (a) Openings and Closures—community based centres only & 1 July 1996—31 December 1998:

Source: CCS for quarter ended December 1998

Caution is urged using figures on openings and closures because of the volatile nature of this information—centres amalgamate, change ownership, change names or transfer a name to another service.

(6) (b) and (7) (b) A list of addresses for openings and closures has been forwarded to the honourable Senator.