Petition raises more than 1000 signatures
A petition of more than 1000 signatures has been raised following the sudden closure of the Peninsula Long Day Care Service at the Peninsula Community Centre.
"Run by Coast Community Connections, our long day care services were terminated with no warning or explanation," said parent Ms Melanie Cook.
"Parents and centre educators were notified of the sudden closure at 4pm on Friday, October 18, through a confusing email about immediate changes to the service, leaving parents in a state of bewilderment, distress, and panic.
"The closure was effective immediately, with parents, children, and staff given no opportunity to prepare, make arrangements, collect valuable medications, or even say proper goodbyes to beloved educators and peers.
"Parents now face an immediate crisis of finding childcare in a region already experiencing a well-documented shortage, with waitlists of up to two years.
Enrolments for 2025 are already closed so this sudden termination has left our kids with no prospects for future childcare.
"Many families, particularly single-parent households, are now at risk of losing their employment and homes due to their inability to work without childcare.
"Families experiencing family violence are at increased risk of harm.
"The stress and hardship this abrupt closure has placed on families are severe and far-reaching.
"This closure was given with only two hours notice to families, without clear explanation, and without provisions for children and staff.
"The grossly unethical nature of the decision, demonstrates a blatant disregard for the wellbeing of children, families, and educators alike."
The petition calls on the board of Coast Community Connections to provide an explanation.
Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid said: "I'm very concerned to hear about the abrupt closure of the Peninsula Long Day Care operated by Coast Community Connections".
He wrote to Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly on October 21: "this sudden closure with no warning is having an immediate and detrimental impact on working families here on the Central Coast, in a community that was already experiencing a shortage of childcare availability.
"Due to the number of families impacted so significantly, and the need for an immediate response and solution, I would greatly appreciate your time in reviewing this correspondence with urgency."
Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch said: "For families to be given a weekend's notice to find alternative arrangements fails to acknowledge the current challenges to access childcare services on the Peninsula.
"I have been in contact with Coast Community Connections today and have reiterated the community's views regarding the sudden closure."
The petition can be found at http://penne.ws/cjyEp.
SOURCE:
Social media, 21 Oct 2024
Melanie Cooke, Woy Woy