Centres Given Reprieve
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday November 8, 2008
A Federal Government lifeline will keep the Illawarra's ABC Learning child-care centres open until December 31, but whether their doors will close after that is unknown.
Illawarra Children's Services CEO Bill Feld said it was possible that responsibility for ABC Learning centres in the Illawarra would be assumed by other child-care providers."There are several community-based child-care providers in the Illawarra and I think all would be willing to take over management if that became necessary," Mr Feld said. "The good news for the Illawarra is that with only four ABC child-care centres in the area, child-care operators like Illawarra Children's Services are well placed to assist if the Government makes that call."Government help will total $22 million nation-wide.While operation of the centres has been guaranteed until the end of the year, Mr Feld said staff and parents needed to know what lay beyond 2008."What we need now is a genuine contingency plan ... families and other child-care providers are looking to the Government for reassurance and guidance."
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury