Centre left without funds

By Casey Neill
HILLS parents could soon be left in the lurch, after the State and Federal Governments both failed to fund Take a Break child care into the future.
Community and neighbourhood houses are calling on them to reconsider, or they will have to increase fees or shut down the occasional care program.
The low-fee program gives kids aged up to six years a chance to interact socially, and their parents a break for study or part-time work.
Emerald Community House’s Mary Farrow said losing the $12,000 a year investment could see it close its three day a week childcare program, which is at capacity.
“A cynical person might conclude that the commercial centres would be happy if the competition for childcare placement did not include community houses,” she said.
“This political football game is using our kids as the ball, kicking them back and forth, while their parents and families sit on the sidelines.”
Association of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres (ANHLC) executive officer Angela Savage called on the state and federal governments to negotiate a solution.
“Many families using neighbourhood house occasional care are on low incomes and can’t afford increased fees,” she said.
“In some towns there is no other centre-based child care nearby.
“Some parents may have to quit work to care for children and others will miss out on essential respite.”
Children and Early Childhood Development Minister Wendy Lovell said on 3 June the State Government funding would end on 31 December.
The former State Government stepped in with cash last May after its Commonwealth counterpart withdrew funding.
“This was a one-off commitment and the former government made it clear that the funding was for one year only,” Ms Lovell said.
She said child care was a Federal responsibility and Child Care Minister Kate Ellis should foot the bill.
“As the program could not be sustained on state funding alone,” she said.
But Ms Ellis said her department had “massively increased funding to early childhood education and care” to the states.
She said Victorian Take a Break funding in 2009-10 was $1.1 million.
“Although now forgoing this, the Victorian Government is receiving approximately $210.6 million for kindergartens over the next five years,” she said.
“An area where the commonwealth previously had no funding responsibility.”
She said the previous State Government acknowledged the “significant overall increase” and committed to a review extending its funding for Take a Break.
“I would trust that the new Victorian Government will reconsider their decision not to continue funding the Take a Break program beyond the end of this year, given the importance of this program for local families,” she said.