Parents reeling at long day care closure

Parents are reeling following the sudden closure of Coast Community Connections’ long day care service for preschool children at Woy Woy.

Spokesperson Ivona Rose said parents were advised on Friday afternoon, October 18, that care in the 0-5 years room would not be provided at the long day care centre from Monday, October 21.

A letter from Coast Community Connections Executive Officer Stephanie Wallace told parents the service would close due to “unforeseen circumstances” but there would be no changes to the operations of before-and-after school and vacation care at the centre.

“To leave 42 families stranded without care for their children with no notice cannot and should not be tolerated in our community,” Rose said.

“To put qualified early childhood educators in a position where they are to transition to before-and-after school care or lose their jobs is equally unacceptable.

“To take our children, who have formed bonds and are on the beginning of their education journey, out of their routine unceremoniously is equally damaging.

“The families affected are exhausted, grief stricken and angry.

“Enrolments for next year have mostly been completed in an area where there is already a shortage of early childhood education.

“And we are left without immediate care of our children.

“How are we to continue working and providing the services society requires of us under these circumstances?”

Clinical psychologist Melanie Cooke, who is another one of the parents affected, said she has appealed to local MPs and Central Coast councillors to intervene.

“As you can imagine this has caused immense distress and concern for all families affected,” Cooke said.

“I have emailed Member for Roberston Gordon Reid, Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch, Central Coast Mayor Lawrie McKinna and Gosford West councillors.

“Parents are organising via a WhatsApp chat to raise the alarm and send a message to the Executive Officer that this is not acceptable.”

Cooke said families who relied on the essential service were reeling, with the abrupt decision causing significant distress and disruption.

“Families have been given no time to arrange alternative childcare, leaving many in a precarious situation,” she said.

“This lack of preparation time is both unacceptable and unethical.

“The Central Coast already faces a systemic shortage of available childcare services, making it extremely difficult for families to find suitable alternatives in such a short timeframe.

“Many parents in our community, including single parents and those working full-time, are now facing the challenge of balancing their jobs with unexpected and urgent childcare needs.

“This has a far-reaching impact on our local workforce, including essential service workers.

“Childcare centres are more than just places of care; they are vital hubs where families build relationships and form supportive networks.

“This sudden closure severs these connections, which can have lasting emotional and social impacts on both parents and children.”

Cooke said as a clinical psychologist, she works closely with families in the community, providing essential mental health support.

“The closure of this centre disrupts the wellbeing of the families I work with, and interrupts the capacity of many essential workers, including teachers, nurses, doctors, builders, and supermarket staff, who are now unable to access reliable childcare,” she said.

“It is essential that we explore legal and ethical responses to ensure that families are not left without options and that essential services in our community remain uninterrupted.”

Some single parents face losing their jobs due to the closure of the childcare service.

Parents have also asked that Coast Community Connections remove photographs of their children from marketing resources.

Coast Community Connections Chairperson Sharryn Brownlee said the only way the organisation could remain viable was to make some changes.

“We are looking to grow our Early Learning Centres across the Central Coast,” she said.

“To that end we have demolished some old buildings at Woy Woy and are looking to get architects and builders started on a new centre on the Peninsula.

“(It will be built) beside the current temporary Council premises we are using.”

Brownlee said the plan was to build a new centre on land owned by the organisation at 89 and 91 McMasters Rd and 2 Ross St.

“All the current staff bar one have continuing work as all the other services are continuing,” she said.

“The board and staff sincerely regret the sudden changes and short notice.

“Some of our own staff were also impacted.”

Brownlee said the organisation also intended to buy land at the northern end of the region to help meet the needs of growth suburbs.

“In the meantime, we will continue to offer out of school hours care and vacation care at all our centres – Gosford, Kariong, Woodport and Woy Woy – but unfortunately we will no longer be able to offer 0-5 years care.

“We do not want to end up closing, as several other Central Coast community organisations have done recently.”

Terry Collins