ambiguity in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, where the prohibitions do not extend to non-government schools.149 Recommendation 27: Australian Governments ban corporal punishment across all educational and care settings. 5.5 Helplines for children 177. Kids Helpline is Australia’s only national 24/7, confidential support and counselling service specifically for children and young people aged 5–25 years. It offers counselling support via phone, email and its website.150 178. For more than 25 years, children have been seeking help through Kids Helpline for a range of concerns, including mental health, self-injury, selfharm, relationships, bullying and abuse.151 179. However, the number of contacts is not representative of the greater number of children who need assistance. In her Children’s Rights Report 2014, the NCC highlighted how the telephone and online counsellors at Kids Helpline were able to respond to only 60% of contacts because of lack of capacity to meet the demand.152 180. Information derived from Kids Helpline contacts has been invaluable for the NCC’s investigations into child rights issues. 6 Family environment and alternative care 6.1 Assistance to parents and the provision of childcare services 181. A number of submissions made to the NCC were concerned that the New Child Care Package, introduced in July 2018,153 would result in vulnerable and disadvantaged children not being able to access early childhood education and care services.154 This relates to the complexity of the new activity tests that need to be met to access services and a reduction of free access for disadvantaged families from 24 to 12 hours per fortnight, particularly for single parents and parents whose employment is insecure or unpredictable.155 182. Australia’s current Paid Parental Leave Scheme provides 18 weeks of pay, at minimum wage, for the carer of a newborn or newly adopted child, as well as two weeks paid Dad and Partner Pay.156 However, research indicates that a longer period of six months paid parental leave has a 32