part of the problem is that the govt look are things on too broad a scale. They go "OK, in ACT there is no shortage", because there ARE placements in some centres in some suburbs, but other centres are so backlogged it isn't funny. Before and afterschool car is in huge shortage here in the ACT, because of the sheer number of familys that need it, and not enough staff to provide for adequate numbers at each of the schools. And yet some schools could accept more kids into their prorgams, but how does that help the parents who's kids go to school 3 suburbs away. FDC, can be so difficult to get places too, as there are not enough FDCarers, or the ones who are available, are only avaible on some of the days, or for a couple of kids, or on the other side of canberra, or only until afterschool hours. It is crazy. And extremely hard to balance it. I don't know that there is any easy solution, except more spots in general - but the financial impact for the government would be huge, which would mean more taxes, more complaining by those people who don't have kids, yada yada yada. I'm glad I'm not the one who has to try and sort out the issue. Because it IS a big issue that does need sorting.