When is a choice not a choice? Almost a quarter of Australia’s population is now living in a ‘childcare desert’ - and this scarcity means that many families’ financial and work schedules hinge on being offered a childcare spot in the first place. 

In this episode, we hear from real parents and experts about the near-impossible workarounds for families who can’t access suitable childcare and can’t afford not to work: from regional mum Kelly, who forked out for a private carer when the local childcare refused her son full days of care, to agricultural workers taking their kids to work on the farm. 
At What Cost is an FW podcast in partnership with The Parenthood, a not-for-profit with a mission to make Australia the best place in the world to be a parent and raise a child. Join 80,000 other parents and carers today
Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development
Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads

When is a choice not a choice? Almost a quarter of Australia&rsquo;s population is now living in a &lsquo;childcare desert&rsquo; - and this scarcity means that many families&rsquo; financial and work schedules hinge on being offered a childcare spot in the first place.&nbsp;
In this episode, we hear from real parents and experts about the near-impossible workarounds for families who can&rsquo;t access suitable childcare and can&rsquo;t afford not to work: from regional mum Kelly, who forked out for a private carer when the local childcare refused her son full days of care, to agricultural workers taking their kids to work on the farm.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">At What Cost is an FW podcast in partnership with The Parenthood, a not-for-profit with a mission to make Australia the best place in the world to be a parent and raise a child.<a href="https://www.theparenthood.org.au/join_the_parenthood"> Join 80,000 other parents and carers today</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Become an<a href="http://futurewomen.com/"> FW member</a> to join the movement and fast-track your professional development</li>
<li aria-level="1">Keep up with @futurewomen on<a href="https://instagram.com/futurewomen"> Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FutureWomen"> Facebook</a>,<a href="https://au.linkedin.com/company/future-women"> LinkedIn</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@futurewomen"> Threads</a></li>
</ul>

"Never in my wildest dreams or nightmares did I think I would find myself in that circumstance." 

Australia is a great place to have kids… In most ways. But right now we’re in a childcare crisis and the consequences are dire - for children, their families, communities, the economy. And, most particularly, for women. What’s the true cost of child care in this country? And what can be done about it?

Join host Georgie Dent for a special three-episode exploration of Australia's childcare crisis. In At What Cost? she speaks with parents paying the price and experts with solutions that could make Australia the best place in the world to raise a child. 

"Never in my wildest dreams or nightmares did I think I would find myself in that circumstance."&nbsp;
Australia is a great place to have kids&hellip; In most ways. But right now we&rsquo;re in a childcare crisis and the consequences are dire - for children, their families, communities, the economy. And, most particularly, for women. What&rsquo;s the true cost of child care in this country? And what can be done about it?
Join host Georgie Dent for a special three-episode exploration of Australia's childcare crisis. In At What Cost? she speaks with parents paying the price and experts with solutions that could make Australia the best place in the world to raise a child.&nbsp;

At What Cost? by Future Women

Australia is a great place to have kids… In most ways. But right now we’re in a childcare crisis and the consequences are dire - for children, their families, communities, the economy. And, most particularly, for women. What’s the true cost of child care in this country? And what can be done about it?

Join host and The Parenthood CEO Georgie Dent for a special three-episode exploration of Australia's childcare crisis. In At What Cost? she speaks with parents paying the price and experts with solutions that could make Australia the best place in the world to raise a child.

At What Cost? is a collaboration between FW and our proud partner The Parenthood.

Australia is a great place to have kids&hellip; In most ways. But right now we&rsquo;re in a childcare crisis and the consequences are dire - for children, their families, communities, the economy. And, most particularly, for women. What&rsquo;s the true cost of child care in this country? And what can be done about it?
Join host and The Parenthood CEO Georgie Dent for a special three-episode exploration of Australia's childcare crisis. In At What Cost? she speaks with parents paying the price and experts with solutions that could make Australia the best place in the world to raise a child.
At What Cost? is a collaboration between FW and our proud partner <a href="https://www.theparenthood.org.au/join_the_parenthood">The Parenthood.</a>

2. The childcare deserts

Georgie Dent isn’t just our host: she’s also a mum-of-three, and her firsthand experience of trying (and sometimes failing) to find suitable childcare for her daughters has taught her a lot. Like: sometimes it costs $165 per day and a 45-minute commute across town to find care for your kids.

At times, the search for an available childcare spot will feel like a full-blown fixation. And at some point, you’ll realise that these barriers aren’t just facing you – they’re a systemic issue, and they’re leading women to step back from work in droves. In this intimate and relatable bonus episode, host Georgie Dent shares her own frank (and frankly stressful) account of how her family’s quest for childcare sparked her passion for changing the system, and how it’s shaped her work as CEO of The Parenthood.
At What Cost is an FW podcast in partnership with The Parenthood, a not-for-profit with a mission to make Australia the best place in the world to be a parent and raise a child. Join 80,000 other parents and carers today
Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development
Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads

Georgie Dent isn&rsquo;t just our host: she&rsquo;s also a mum-of-three, and her firsthand experience of trying (and sometimes failing) to find suitable childcare for her daughters has taught her a lot. Like: sometimes it costs $165 per day and a 45-minute commute across town to find care for your kids.
At times, the search for an available childcare spot will feel like a full-blown fixation. And at some point, you&rsquo;ll realise that these barriers aren&rsquo;t just facing you &ndash; they&rsquo;re a systemic issue, and they&rsquo;re leading women to step back from work in droves. In this intimate and relatable bonus episode, host Georgie Dent shares her own frank (and frankly stressful) account of how her family&rsquo;s quest for childcare sparked her passion for changing the system, and how it&rsquo;s shaped her work as CEO of The Parenthood.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">At What Cost is an FW podcast in partnership with The Parenthood, a not-for-profit with a mission to make Australia the best place in the world to be a parent and raise a child.<a href="https://www.theparenthood.org.au/join_the_parenthood"> Join 80,000 other parents and carers today</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Become an&nbsp;<a href="http://futurewomen.com/">FW member</a> to join the movement and fast-track your professional development</li>
<li aria-level="1">Keep up with @futurewomen on<a href="https://instagram.com/futurewomen"> Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FutureWomen"> Facebook</a>,<a href="https://au.linkedin.com/company/future-women"> LinkedIn</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@futurewomen"> Threads</a></li>
</ul>

“Paying more for childcare than rent”: Georgie Dent's story

So you’ve found a nearby childcare service that actually has availability? Win. (If the fees aren’t sky-high? Double win!) But before you bust out a victory dance and accept the spot, there’s one more thing to consider: quality.

In this bonus episode, host Georgie Dent lays out four practical, expert-approved pointers on how to work out if an early childhood education and care service is actually any good (Spoiler alert: Flashy new buildings and high fees don’t necessarily mean top quality.)

After all, as we hear from the experts: the developmental benefits of high-quality early childhood education and care are well-proven, so choosing the right centre can help set your kids up for life.
At What Cost is an FW podcast in partnership with The Parenthood, a not-for-profit with a mission to make Australia the best place in the world to be a parent and raise a child. Join 80,000 other parents and carers today
Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development
Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads

So you&rsquo;ve found a nearby childcare service that actually has availability? Win. (If the fees aren&rsquo;t sky-high? Double win!) But before you bust out a victory dance and accept the spot, there&rsquo;s one more thing to consider: quality.
In this bonus episode, host Georgie Dent lays out four practical, expert-approved pointers on how to work out if an early childhood education and care service is actually any good&nbsp;(Spoiler alert: Flashy new buildings and high fees don&rsquo;t necessarily mean top quality.)
After all, as we hear from the experts: the developmental benefits of high-quality early childhood education and care are well-proven, so choosing the right centre can help set your kids up for life.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">At What Cost is an FW podcast in partnership with The Parenthood, a not-for-profit with a mission to make Australia the best place in the world to be a parent and raise a child.<a href="https://www.theparenthood.org.au/join_the_parenthood"> Join 80,000 other parents and carers today</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Become an&nbsp;<a href="http://futurewomen.com/">FW member</a> to join the movement and fast-track your professional development</li>
<li aria-level="1">Keep up with @futurewomen on<a href="https://instagram.com/futurewomen"> Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FutureWomen"> Facebook</a>,<a href="https://au.linkedin.com/company/future-women"> LinkedIn</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@futurewomen"> Threads</a></li>
</ul>

Answer these four crucial questions before accepting a childcare spot 

In the blur of early parenthood, many parents don’t stop to think about how the roles they adopt at home – as the primary caregiver, or as the breadwinner – impact their careers and finances in the long-term. But they do. And when families can’t access affordable childcare, it’s generally women whose job security takes a hit. This fuels gender inequality on a national scale… contributing to the gender pay gap and the super gap. It also leaves real mums like Emma, whose story we hear in this episode, grappling with housing insecurity and an uncertain future.

Join our host Georgie Dent in our third and final full-length episode as we unpack the costs of the childcare crisis to gender equality and the economy Plus: experts share five key solutions that could help make childcare truly accessible and affordable for all – which would be transformative for our country, and especially women.
At What Cost is an FW podcast in partnership with The Parenthood, a not-for-profit with a mission to make Australia the best place in the world to be a parent and raise a child. Join 80,000 other parents and carers today
Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development
Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads

In the blur of early parenthood, many parents don&rsquo;t stop to think about how the roles they adopt at home &ndash; as the primary caregiver, or as the breadwinner &ndash; impact their careers and finances in the long-term. But they do. And when families can&rsquo;t access affordable childcare, it&rsquo;s generally women whose job security takes a hit. This fuels gender inequality on a national scale&hellip; contributing to the gender pay gap and the super gap. It also leaves real mums like Emma, whose story we hear in this episode, grappling with housing insecurity and an uncertain future.
Join our host Georgie Dent in our third and final full-length episode as we unpack the costs of the childcare crisis to gender equality and the economy Plus: experts share five key solutions that could help make childcare truly accessible and affordable for all &ndash; which would be transformative for our country, and especially women.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">At What Cost is an FW podcast in partnership with The Parenthood, a not-for-profit with a mission to make Australia the best place in the world to be a parent and raise a child.<a href="https://www.theparenthood.org.au/join_the_parenthood"> Join 80,000 other parents and carers today</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Become an&nbsp;<a href="http://futurewomen.com/">FW member</a> to join the movement and fast-track your professional development</li>
<li aria-level="1">Keep up with @futurewomen on<a href="https://instagram.com/futurewomen"> Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FutureWomen"> Facebook</a>,<a href="https://au.linkedin.com/company/future-women"> LinkedIn</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@futurewomen"> Threads</a></li>
</ul>

2. The childcare deserts

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At What Cost? by Future Women

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