I recently had the privilege of sitting down with a group of hardworking early childhood educators from the electorate of Blue Mountains to thank them for the important work they do in our community and listen to their concerns about the future of their profession. I was welcomed to the beautiful Katoomba Leura Preschool where educators from across the mountains had gathered. I offered my solidarity on a day they were pausing to take industrial action, which is a rare occurrence in the early childhood education sector. But as was communicated to me so strongly that day, the sector is in crisis and immediate reform and action is needed.

After spending time with passionate and committed educators, it was clear to me they feel undervalued, despite being skilled professionals who conduct meaningful, important and exhausting work each day. I heard that too many early childhood educators are leaving the sector due to burnout from excessive workloads and low pay, and that services are having to limit enrolments and close rooms due to understaffing. They were not being overdramatic. Just weeks after the meeting I received the awful news that an early childhood service in my electorate had been forced to close due to staffing issues. BOOSH, a much-loved out‑of‑hours service in Blackheath, has been unable to attract new staff because of the sector's poor wages and conditions. That is a huge loss for the Blackheath community, and I hope the service can be supported and will reopen as soon possible.

I listened carefully to the stories that were shared that morning, as well as to those from other educators who sent theirs to my office afterwards. I promised them that I would share their stories in Parliament, which I am honoured to do tonight. Talia, who is new to the profession and is still completing her certificate III, said:

I absolutely love my job. It's not just playing with children, nor is it just watching them. It's so much more. I am well aware I can earn more doing an unskilled job such as working in Woolworths. However, I have chosen a job that is rewarding and gives back to the community. A 17-year-old babysitter with no qualifications or life experience is paid more than me on a trainee's wage. I earn $20 an hour while most babysitters are charging $30 an hour.

Catherine, another educator, told me that she loves her job but is feeling frustrated. She said:

I'm passionate about working with young children, but passion doesn't pay the bills. We want recognition for our profession and to stop being referred to as "childcare workers". We are teachers and educators.

Justine, a veteran who has worked in the profession for 30 years, told me that she has followed her passion for working with young children despite the disapproval of her father. Her experience is heartbreaking and encapsulates so much of the current crisis. She wrote:

My father told me that if I chose early childhood education, he was not going to support my further studies or my career path. He asked, "Why do I need to go to university to learn how to change nappies?" This comment was said back in 1991 and I have carried it with me since. My father to this day has not been able to appreciate or acknowledge the fact that I have studied and have my degree. He never attended my graduation or assisted me with my university fees, despite doing so for my sisters. Sadly, I feel that my father's opinion of the early childhood sector is still prevalent today. We are seen as professional babysitters. Society hears the language used to describe our sector as "care", "minding" and "play" et cetera.

The experiences of Talia, Catherine and Justine illustrate powerfully why change is needed. Early Childhood Australia surveyed over 700 educators from across Australia. In response to the question about how they currently feel about working in the early childhood sector, over 70 per cent of respondents said that they were "exhausted" and "stressed" on a daily basis. Our early education sector must be properly valued and recognised for the professional work that educators do. I acknowledge the advocacy of the United Workers Union. The dialogue and language need to change. Those working in the sector should be referred to as "educators" and the pay should reflect their work as trained professionals.

To value our precious early childhood educators, I urge the Government to work with the Federal Government to ensure that they have a reason to stay and are awarded fair pay. The Government should value early learning as part of the education system as much as it does schools. It must put children's outcomes first in the early education system. I honour and thank all early childhood educators in the Blue Mountains electorate and across New South Wales, especially those who shared their experiences with me. I value their skilful, significant and crucial work.