Answers sought over long day care closure

Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch has asked Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car for some answers in the wake of the abrupt closure of Peninsula Long Day Care with just two days’ notice on October 21.

Crouch said there had been “an abject failure of support and accountability on the issue”, with parents still desperately looking for childcare places.

“In the middle of a childcare crisis, 42 children have had their early childhood education ripped away from them without any regard to their learning needs and the vital connections they have developed with their educators and other children,” he said.

“Despite pleas for support and answers from the families of the 42 impacted children, there has been a critical absence of answers on why the centre closed, and we now know that there has been no investigation into the circumstances of closure by the regulatory authority – this is simply not good enough.

“The NSW Government needs to step up and provide the necessary support for impacted families.

“Single parents have had to give up or reduce their paid work to look after their kids, which places severe financial strain their families – and only a month from Christmas.

“Frankly, what has happened here has been completely unacceptable.”

Sharryn Brownlee, President of Coast Community Connections (CCC) which ran the service, said she “had been told” every child has been offered a place, some closer to home.

“The (Education) Department worked very hard to help us,” she said.

But parents say they have received no placement offers, with the only help from the Department being referral to a website which has outdated information and virtually no placement suggestions.

Spokesperson Ivona Rose said parents had enlisted the support of Councillor Trent McWaide, who has undertaken to put a Motion to the December meeting calling for Council to create more Council-owned and operated childcare centres.

Meanwhile, she said, parents had been left high and dry, with many of the displaced children experiencing emotional distress.

She said the children faced “subsequent lack of age-appropriate stimulation and socialisation and “unknown long-term impacts of sudden separation from trusted caregivers, friends and their learning environment”.

Fellow spokesperson Melanie Cooke said parents had been informed that the regulatory authority had not conducted any investigation into CCC about the circumstances surrounding the closure of the service despite parents’ concerns regarding compliance.

She said problems facing families included limited childcare options, workplace impacts, increased domestic violence risk and a severe impact on the children.

“Families are now stranded in a ‘childcare desert’, facing waitlists of up to two years for alternative placements,” she said.

“Many parents have been forced to reduce their working hours or stop work entirely to care for their children.

“This has resulted in job insecurity, financial hardship, and, in some cases, the risk of homelessness – just weeks before Christmas.

“The additional stress of extended time at home has heightened the risks for families already in vulnerable situations.

“The abrupt and unexplained separation from trusted caregivers and peers has left many children distressed and dysregulated.

“There are cases of children now at heightened risk of neglect due to the lack of a safe childcare placement.

“As a clinical psychologist, I see firsthand how profoundly such adverse experiences affect a child’s emotional and developmental wellbeing.”

She has urged CCC to take urgent action to support the 42 children and their families who now face an indefinite lack of childcare, including actively assisting in securing placements, offering financial support and exploring temporary or alternative care arrangements.

She said parents also urged the Department of Education to collaborate with Central Coast Council and alternative providers to take over the lease and premises at 93 McMasters Rd, Woy Woy, ensuring the continuity of care for the affected families.

“We request that the Department of Education explore the possibility of relocating before and after school care services to Woy Woy South Public School to allow long day care services to resume at 93 McMasters Rd, Woy Woy,” she said.

“We want the Department to proactively assess alternative locations, such as Umina Scout Hall or other school premises, for the establishment of a new long day care centre to meet the needs of affected families.”

A spokesperson said the Department understood the impact that service closures had on families, particularly when a provider gave limited notice.

“We are working to understand what solutions may be available to these families,” the spokesperson said.

“We are exploring broader options to support existing providers – including the current provider – to identify any opportunities to expand existing services and build local capacity.

“This includes looking at funding options and access to a specialist local team to provide advice to these providers in a timely and co-ordinated way.”

The spokesperson said the NSW Regulatory Authority did not identify any areas of non-compliance with the National Law and was not under the influence of any individuals.

“Our communication with families from November 1 includes a meeting with parents, direct phone calls and responding to queries, including those made to our Information and Enquiries line.

“We will continue to talk with families and respond to their requests.

“The Department is committed to providing updated information when it is available.

“We continue to speak with the approved provider about their plans moving forward.

“We are aware there are limited vacancies in the area for children aged 0-5 years.

“The NSW Department of Education does not operate this service.”

Brownlee said all other CCC services were still operating at capacity and the organisation remained hopeful 2025 would see the return of long day care.

Terry Collins