Central Coast Council will take advantage of a new package to financially support its eight childcare centres across the region.
Administrator Rik Hart said the financial support through COVID-19 would assist Council to keep providing highly-valued and essential childhood education and care for local families.
“Council will continue to waive the gap fees for families who choose to keep their children at home during this stay-at-home order period, and these subsidies will help maintain staff levels and the operation of the centres to enable the same level of service once the restrictions are lifted,” Hart said.
Council operates eight childcare centres including Kanwal Little Coast Kids, Northlakes Little Coast Kids, Toukley Little Coast Kids, Wyong Little Coast Kids, Kariong Childcare Centre, Niagara Park Children’s Centre, Terrigal Children’s Centre and Umina Child Care Centre.
NSW Minister for Local Government, Shelley Hancock, said financial support would be contingent on childcare services expecting attendance below 50 per cent, for waiving gap fees for all families whose children are not attending, maintaining staffing levels, agreeing to a fee freeze for the duration of support, and not accessing other Commonwealth Government funded supports.
“This financial support recognises the importance of councils to local communities in NSW.
“We will continue to work with our 128 local councils to ensure they have the support they need to continue to deliver the essential services communities need,” Hancock said.
Harry Mulholland