On a visit to the Pangerang Community House in Wangaratta today, Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad took time out to listen to the concerns of co-ordinators, staff, volunteers and parents who will be affected by the Baillieu-Ryan Goverment’s decision to stop funding the Take a Break Occasional Child Care program at the end of this year.
Ms Broad urged the Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, Wendy Lovell to take up the challenge of convincing the Premier, Mr Baillieu, that the Take a Break Occasional Child Care program should be a priority for the Baillieu-Ryan Government.
“As a first step I urge the Minister to visit Neighbourhood Houses in her electorate like the Pangerang Community House here in Wangaratta that are providing the program and ask these co-ordinators, staff, volunteers and parents what the Take a Break Occasional Child Care program means to them,” Ms Broad said.
“Even better would be if the Minister could take the Premier with her to Neighbourhood Houses like the Pangerang Community House who provide occasional child care to young families a long way from any extended family support, who employ staff who have trained so they now hold the necessary certificates and diplomas, who support students and volunteers to provide this much needed service,” she said.
Ms Broad said the Take a Break Occasional Child Care program is provided at more than 220 neighbourhood houses and community centres across Victoria.
“It allows parents and guardians to participate in activities including a visit to the doctor, meeting people in their community, study, recreational classes, and voluntary community activities while their children socialise and interact with other children in an early learning environment”.
“Stopping funding for the Take a Break Occasional Child Care program means that families across Victoria will be unable to access affordable, community-based occasional childcare to undertake tasks that benefit the family,” Ms Broad said.
“It will also mean that staff will move away to take up job opportunities if they think funding is stopping.”
Ms Broad called on Minister Lovell to release the review conducted by KPMG of the Take A Break Program.
“To not release the results of this review adds insult to injury to the parents and children disadvantaged by this appallingly shortsighted decision,” Ms Broad said.
“What does the Minister have to hide?”