Fact file: 11 facts about child care in Australia

EXCERPTS

Following the scrapping of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's signature paid parental leave scheme, the Federal Government is now expected to turn its attention to child care.

A Productivity Commission report released in February identified both access and affordability as major issues.

"The Australian Government currently spends almost $7 billion a year to support families to access quality and affordable child care.

"It is important that these taxpayer resources are spent in the best way to enable families to stay in work, get back to work and give their children the best possible start in life," Social Services Minister Scott Morrison said when releasing the report.

ABC Fact Check takes a look at some of the facts and figures about child care in Australia.

1. Around 1.57 million Australian children attend childcare centres.
2. The rate of child care use in Australia increased by 77 per cent between 1996 and 2011 and the proportion of children in formal care rose from 13.4 per cent to 23.7 per cent.
3. Informal care is provided to 38.6 per cent of children under the age of 12 by family or friends.
4. Grandparents usually care for 26 per cent of all children.
5. 92 per cent of informal child care is free.
6. The federal government expects to spend $7 billion on child care this financial year, of which over $6 billion will be the childcare rebate and the childcare benefit, according to the 2014-15 budget papers.
7. The childcare rebate covers 50 per cent of out of pocket childcare expenses up to a maximum of $7,500 per child per year, regardless of income.
8. The childcare benefit is additional assistance paid to low and middle income earners, progressively declining to zero for families with income over $149,597 and one child. Thresholds are higher for families with more children.
9. Overall, families cover 37 per cent of the cost of child care. The rest comes from government.
10.  In Australia, 37.6 per cent of three year olds were in formal child care or pre-school in 2010, compared with countries like France (100 per cent), Belgium (99 per cent), Denmark (97 per cent), Germany (88 per cent), the UK (83 per cent) and the OECD average of 63 per cent.
11. In Australia, 86 per cent of mothers returning to work use flexible work arrangements in order to care for their child, including working part time (65 per cent), flexible hours (35 per cent), and working from home (26 per cent).