There’s an African Proverb – “If you educate a man, you education an individual, but if you education a woman, you educate a nation”.
And that is so true.
Most women take on the role are primary caregiver of the children, which makes it a difficult proposition to get back into the workforce, once their children have reached a certain age. The predominant factors include, the cost of childcare, also maintaining the training needed to stay on either registered in their profession or to be able to be at the top of their profession.
In this year’s Budget (2021), there will be an additional $1.7 billion invested in childcare, to increase the subsidy for the second and
subsequent child. The annual cap will also be removed from 1 July 2022. The government has estimated that 250,000 families will benefit.
This builds on the existing funding of $9.7 billion in annual childcare support, $2.3 billion in annual paid parental leave and a further
$359.4 million through the 2018- and 2020-Women’s Economic Security Statements.
But back to women educating the nation.
There is no denying that women hold a disproportionate amount of leadership roles, and that this is compounded by taking maternity leave and having a career break. Yet, my experience is that when women have the support they need, they are capable of so much more. It is also why there has been an influx of Mumpreneurs, as women start their own businesses to suit their work/life balance. And they are very, very successful.
As part of the Budget, the government is providing $38.3 million to expand the successful Women’s Leadership and Development Program, which is to help improve the outcomes for women in the areas of job creation, economic security, safety and international engagement, etc. It will also enable the Women@Work projects to continue.
If you are a mum wanting to get back into the workforce, or you are wanting to start your own business- now is the time!
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