Labor is pledging to invest $450-million in improving after-school childcare services over four years.
But the Coalition says the policy doesn't address the shortcomings Labor has shown in government in the childcare sector.
Thea Cowie has the details.
The daily stresses and strains of the school drop off and pick up could be significantly reduced, Labor says, with its $450-million funding package.
Under Labor's promise, up to 345,000 children aged five to 12 years would benefit from the extra funding for 500 schools to introduce new services, or expand what they already offer.
In areas where childcare services are currently lacking, some schools would open as early as 7am and close as late as 7pm.
School holiday care could also be provided and after-school services like sporting activities, music lessons and homework clubs could be introduced.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says children won't be the only beneficiaries.
"Better education services for our kids, more flexibility for parents to balance their work and family lives and to help with cost of living pressures and to increase the opportunities for employment participation in particular for women."
The Prime Minister says families which access the improved after-school services would still be eligible for the 50 per cent Child Care Rebate.
The move has been welcomed by industry groups, including the union representing after hours care workers.
But Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is critical, saying Labor is just recycling a promise it's failed to deliver on in the past.
"They promised 263 childcare centres at schools to end the dreaded double drop and they abolished that commitment after I think 38 had actually been delivered."
The Coalition says child care costs have increased 27 per cent in the past three years.
And the government's own data shows about one in six children who needed a childcare place in 2011 couldn't access it.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has previously said that while the budget remains in its current state, there can be no extra funding for childcare.
Mr Abbott has promised a Productivity Commission inquiry into the whole structure of childcare provision, including whether benefits can be paid to families using nannies.
"We have a 24/7 economy, the families of Australia need to be supported to work in a 24/7 economy. We need to look at the flexibility of our system, including we need to look at in-home care."
The Australian Greens are proposing injection of an extra $2.29 billion into childcare over four years.
The plan would reduce the fees parents have to pay upfront by streamlining the Childcare Benefit and Childcare Rebate into one payment which would go directly to childcare centres.
Support would rise by an average of $27 a week, saving the average Australian family around $1300 a year.
The Greens would also commit $200-million to expanding and upgrading existing childcare facilities - something the Greens say is missing in Labor's plan.
Greens childcare spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young:
"There is currently really nothing on the table to help non-profit and community based sectors to deal with the capital works issues that they have. It would be targeted at opening up new places because we know that availability is the big issue coupled with the rise of fees."
The Greens are also calling for a Productivity Commission inquiry into childcare, but with different terms of reference to the Coalition's.
