Lisa Ross is mum to three young children, Isabelle, 6, Etta, 4, and Evelyn, 2. Her eldest is at school but her others require child care so Ms Ross can work.

But it has not been an easy road.

Ms Ross had been unable to work more than two days a week due to a lack of spaces in child care.

Ms Ross sent an open letter to Federal Member Anne Webster about her concerns.

"Why offer jobs when there is no support for mothers returning to work?," Ms Ross said.

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"I feel strongly that working parents should be able to access the care they need to participate in the workforce.

"I am constantly facing challenges when trying to access childcare and the barriers that has placed on us in the ability to return to the workforce."

She outlined the issues she and other parents are facing in Horsham and surrounding areas.

"We are in the position that I have been unable to work three days for the last 12 months, even as an essential worker, as I have been unable to secure a third day of daycare for my third born," she said.

Ms Ross said her parenting groups have all spoken about this issue, and how it impacts mothers trying to return to work, with some mothers having said "childcare is near impossible to get."

Many parents spend months, even years on waiting lists just to get one day of childcare for one child.

Ms Ross had been on a waiting list for 12 months to get a third day of care for her youngest child.

"I want to contribute to the economy, to my workplace, to provide a service for my community and to be valued as a working mother, " Ms Ross said.

"It is incredible that in 2021 working parents are having to continue to negotiate and juggle this stressful time without the appropriate services, structures and policies in place by the federal government to see more women participating in the workforce.

"If we continue to ignore the structural elements that are contributing to keeping women out of the workforce we will not make any progress in this area."

Horsham Rural City Council director of communities and place, Kevin O'Brien said he understands the frustration parents are facing.

"While Horsham has traditionally been well catered for when it comes to child care provision, we are aware at the moment there is a shortage of places that was not predicted and we are working with the relevant government agencies to address the current child care shortage issue," Mr O'Brien said.

"With such a shortage there is an opportunity in Horsham for further childcare services investment."

Federation University Wimmera Campus now offers two child care related courses through FedTAFE

A Federation University spokesperson said these child care courses were new to the campus and already successful.

"The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care only commenced halfway through 2020 in the middle of COVID-19, so students are due to graduate this year," the spokesperson said.

"This is the first time we have had Early Childhood courses at the Wimmera campus in a while."

The Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care will start semester two later this year.

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Nine students have enrolled in the Certificate III and the diploma is still open for expressions of interest.

The spokesperson said the job market is looking strong for the soon to be graduates of the certificate.

"Discussions with groups of employers in the Wimmera region revealed a shortage of qualified workers for Early Childhood Services and Kindergartens across the whole Wimmera - in particular the smaller townships," the spokesperson said.

"Some students from the current class have already been offered employment and there should be many job opportunities for the right applicants once qualified."

Minister for Lowan, Emma Kealy said child care is imperative to a growing community.

"Families in our region need adequate access to childcare, whether that be after-kinder care, after-school care or daycare programs. Without this, we cannot attract families to come and work in rural and regional areas like ours," Ms Kealy said.

"Unless we see investment in a full range of childcare services in our rural and regional towns, and we ensure that educators are paid properly and that they have access to the training opportunities they need, we are going to continue to see these issues continue to arise.

"We need to see a commitment from the state government to make sure that we have the educators available to ensure all of our rural communities have access to childcare services."

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