A 15-year-old girl with mental health issues: one who is susceptible to predatory behaviour, who in the eyes of the magistrate needs to get out of Apollo Estate, sat in court yesterday wearing handcuffs.

Her criminal record stretches to nine pages and it paints an unflattering picture.

So how do we as a community sort this issue out?

Should we as a community step in and help?

Yes of course we should and this lass needs to know there are people who despite being discouraged by her attitude want to help her get back on track.

Yesterday a timely press statement from the childcare union - United Voice - called on all parties involved in childcare to set aside short-term self-interest and work together to ensure all children benefit from the national quality standards currently being phased in across Australia.

The union believes targeted funding reform by government in the next budget will ensure the young children of today and tomorrow have quality early childhood education meeting developmental needs and ensuring a stable, qualified and professional workforce.

We applaud such a call but sincerely hope the union is not mouthing an empty platitude.

It needs both sides of an issue to pull together to provide a solution.

We understand the need for fair pay for a fair day's work. We also understand the pie or pot of money held by treasury is a shrinking commodity.

But if we're absolutely fair dinkum we'd all work together to provide an answer.