The Federal Government appears to be in no rush to make any changes to the child care system, amid Opposition claims today's summit was just a "talkfest".

Prime Minister Julia Gillard met with child care workers and providers in Sydney today in response to growing concerns about affordability.

The union representing child care workers, United Voice, says the average cost of care has risen by just over 11 per cent, to $70 per day, in the 12 months to April.

Despite that, the Prime Minister says the percentage of income being spent on child care has actually gone down.

"If you imagine that a family earns $75,000 a year [and] they've got one child in long day care, that used to take 13 per cent of their income," Ms Gillard told ABC Local Radio before the talks.

"Now it takes 7.5 per cent. So that has become a lesser percentage of income, more affordable in that sense."

But the Prime Minister has acknowledged parents are worried about fee increases and long-term affordability.

United Voice is urging the Government to stop paying the 50 per cent rebate on child care expenses to parents, and instead give the money directly to childcare centres.

"Really what Government needs is a lever to help keep costs down," the group's assistant national secretary Sue Lines said.

"So what we're now saying to Government around that benefit [is that the money] should be paid directly to centres."

Ms Gillard has indicated she is open to the idea, but says the Government will take its time making decisions.

"We've got some work to do and some thinking to do," she said after the talks.

"Working with Minister (Kate) Ellis over the next few months, we will be considering what has been put to us today. We will be continuing the conversation."

Ms Ellis says 100,000 eligible families are not claiming the child care rebate.

The Prime Minister went into the summit playing down expectations of any breakthrough over concerns about rising fees and low pay for child care workers.

Even so, she says the Government is "determined" to eventually make changes.

"What's clear from today's meeting is if we are to make further headway on child care and early education, that we all need to be working together," Ms Gillard said.

"Today's discussion was always going to be the start of a discussion, not the end of a discussion.

"We discussed a number of potential ideas for the future.

"We talked about how we could get the best out of existing government assistance and make sure that parents are getting everything that they're entitled to."

'Another talkfest'

The Opposition has accused the Prime Minister of playing "catch-up politics" on the issue.

"What we've got from a Prime Minister today is just another talkfest to deal with a problem that has just got worse under her Government," Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said.

"Since the last election back in August of 2010, under Julia Gillard's watch, child care costs have increased by a full 17 per cent.

"All the talk today is not going to get costs down."

The Coalition has promised to have the Productivity Commission carry out a wide-ranging review of how the Government funds child care if it wins the next election.

It has also criticised the Government's recent changes to child care regulations aimed at increasing quality assurance in centres by putting new limits on the ratio of staff to children.

Ms Gillard has conceded the changes have had a "modest" impact on costs.

"I think we've got to recognise that there are some costs that come with quality, and we recognise that with our quality reforms, but those costs are quite modest," she said.

Ms Lines says a crucial part of boosting quality standards is improving pay levels.

"Just fixing fees for parents is not the answer and it's certainly not the solution and it won't help the quality as educators continue to leave," she said.

"This is a serious issue. It's a crisis. We can't have this low-paid workforce responsible for continuing quality for our most vulnerable and precious Australians."