Summary of findings - Multifunctional Aboriginal Children's Services

Multifunctional Aboriginal Children's Services (MACS) provide a flexible service to meet the social and developmental needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. MACS offer care for preschool and school-aged children including long day care, playgroups, outside school hours care, school holiday care and cultural programs.

The main findings of the 2001 Census, for MACS are summarised below. Comparisons to the results of the 1999 Census have been included.

Services

Of the 36 MACS asked to participate in the 2001 Census, 31 (86%) responded.
The majority of MACS (90%) operated for 48 to 50 weeks per year, similar to findings in 1999.
None of the participating MACS were operational on weekends.
All MACS who responded to the 2001 Census provided long day care, 42% provided occasional care, 35% provided before or after school care, 32% provided vacation care and nutrition advice, 16% provided play group activities and services for the family and 23% provided other types of services. The only considerable change in comparison with the 1999 Census is a decrease in the proportion of services providing occasional care, from 58% in 1999, to 42% in 2001.

Children

In May 2001, an estimated 1858 children attended, compared with an estimated 1731 children in 1999 (both the 1999 and 2001 figures include estimates of non-respondent services). This represents a 7% increase over the 2 year period.
The majority (62%) of children attending MACS attended for between 5 and 24 hours in the reference week (exactly the same as in 1999).
Around three quarters (76%) of all children attending MACS were identified as indigenous

Staff

In May 2001, an estimated 458 staff (428 paid, 30 unpaid) provided care in MACS. This represents a 5% increase over the 436 staff (419 paid, 17 unpaid) in 1999. Both the 1999 and 2001 figures include estimates of non-respondent services.
Around 37% of MACS staff had formal qualifications in 2001, compared with 39% in 1999.
In 2001, 67% of all staff had undertaken in-service training in the 12 months prior to the Census, an increase from 54% in 1999.
The main duties of the majority (68%) of staff remained direct contact with children, a slight increase (up from 65%) since 1999.
In 2001, 65% of MACS staff were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, a slight increase from 61% in 1999.