Melbourne Weekly Bayside
By Rebecca Thistleton
Claire Mumme with her children Ben, 20 months, and Jess, 2, with protesters outside the Brighton Council Chambers. Photo by Lucy Di Paolo
BAYSIDE parents have pledged to fight plans to close the Sandringham and Hampton childcare centres, calling for the council to explain its decision and investigate how the centres could stay open. A council meeting last was packed with angry parents wearing red in response to the decision.
Both centres will close in stages over the next two years, starting with the babies’ room at the Hampton centre at the end of this year.
However, the centres could become community-managed, not-for-profit facilities after the council voted for a financial report to be prepared and presented at its February 2012 meeting.
Councillor Felicity Frederico successfully moved for councillors and staff to meet members of the new Save Our Centres group, which was formed after parents learned about the imminent closures.
Cr Frederico said the council owed it to the community to outline why the decision was made, after 18 months of discussions behind closed doors.
Save Our Centres spokeswoman Claire Mumme said parents wanted to work with the council to find a solution. She said several community-run, council-owned daycare centres were operating successfully in Victoria.
‘‘Unfortunately, it seems this process will come too late for many families who were expecting to find places in the Hampton babies’ room for 2012,’’ she said.
‘‘This uncertainty, both for families and staff, could have been avoided had there been earlier engagement with the community.’’
Mayor Alex del Porto said he did not want to raise parents’ hopes but supported a move to meet the parents and explain the decision, which he stemmed from the state and federal governments cost-shifting onto councils.
Ms Mumme said councillors needed to understand the effect losing the centres would have on families.
Ms Mumme said parents were struggling to be added to waiting lists at other centres because demand had spiked after the closures were announced.
‘‘There remains an extreme shortage of long daycare places in Bayside council, with waiting lists of up to two years,’’ she said.
Save Our Centres has started an online petition, which has already gathered hundreds of signatures and can be found HERE.
