Working mothers are set to get a break with Government help towards the cost of child care, it was revealed yesterday.

For Premier Pamela Gordon announced a new day care allowance for child-care and streamlining of Government provision in the area, set to be up and running by the autumn.

Ms Gordon said: "We believe every working family with children deserves to have affordable and professional child-care.'' She added that -- as a single working mother herself -- she knew the problems of juggling a job and children.

Ms Gordon said: "We will better coordinate and enhance Government day care and after-school programmes.

"And for those parents for whom affordability is a serious issue, we will provide a needs-based day care allowance that can be used in either Government or private day-care facilities.'' Ms Gordon was speaking as she unveiled her new "contract with the people'' during a lunchtime speech yesterday.

She added afterwards: "What we are finding is that mothers are suffering badly.'' Ms Gordon said single mothers were a fact of life and children needed care.

She added: "We are not going to judge -- effectively, these children are here and many of them are not guaranteed nursery care.

"We aim to provide that care on a needs basis -- if people are unable to cover the costs for a child's nursery care, we will give a subsidy.'' Ms Gordon added that fathers also cared for young children -- and she pledged not to leave them feeling "left out''.

Ms Gordon said that "hundreds of thousands of dollars'' was already allocated to care programmes run in the school system.

More than ten schools run after-school care programmes, split between the Youth and Sport and Education Ministries.

But Ms Gordon said some programmes were operating well below capacity, perhaps for location reasons or opening hours.

She added: "We will better utilise the money and the way we structure things.'' And she said the Children's Act just tabled in the House of Assembly would ensure registration and a high standard of child care across the Island.

Ms Gordon also announced a new deal to guarantee working women pay parity with men for equal work.

And she insisted: "If we are to be equal partners then we must continue to fight until the last traces of racism, sexism and inequality are erased from our lives.'' Ms Gordon hammered home her view that the UBP "represented all Bermudians and always had.'' She said: "Our record on human and civil rights is one of action and results.'' And she promised "hope, equality and opportunity'' as the "birthright of every Bermudian citizen''.

Ms Gordon added that the elderly would also benefit from a Government drive to provide housing suited to them on the old Base lands.

She said that those who needed extra support to live independent lives outside institutions would get that.

Ms Gordon explained: "There will also be certain cases where they need extra help and care -- that's where nursing assistants will come in and help that become a reality.'' During her speech, she also promised to alter the health care system for the elderly to make it less reliant on hospital care.

She added that Government had already increased pensions and would be restructuring the health insurance system to "emphasise prevention and assist seniors in financial need with doctor visits and prescription costs''.

She told the meeting: "Today I focus on these three words -- chances, choices and changes.

"They are the foundation for my new contract with you. This contract combines a broad vision with specific action.'' And she added: "This contract draws its origins from the record of the United Bermuda Party and my own record in the time I have been privileged to serve as Premier.''