Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has expressed concern over the number of challenges local families are facing when it comes to the accessibility and availability of childcare.
Ms Cleeland was joined on a tour of the region’s childcare facilities, schools, and kindergartens by Shadow Minister for Early Childhood and Education Jess Wilson, including a stop at Goodstart Early Learning in Seymour on Thursday morning.
“Regional Victoria is in desperate need of more childcare,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Sadly, so many communities across our state, including many in my electorate of Euroa, are set to remain without childcare despite desperately needing them.
“The headline-grabbing announcement of a childcare centre in Seymour will, in reality, not be delivered until 2028 at the earliest, preventing private businesses and not-for-profits from filling the childcare void in town.
“Local providers like Goodstart in Seymour do a fantastic job, however there is simply not enough spaces available for all children in town.”
Ms Cleeland said the lack of childcare options in towns like Seymour were having a significant impact on young families in the region.
“Not having enough childcare facilities has a massive impact on the town’s future – with families choosing to relocate most of their lives to bigger centres like Shepparton,” Ms Cleeland said.
“We already have extreme cost of living pressures, as well as a labour crisis – making more accessible childcare so important to ensure parents can return to work and alleviate these issues.
“As things stand, mothers are having to sign up for childcare as soon as they find out they are pregnant due to two-year waitlists for a spot at a facility.”
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood and Education Jess Wilson said regional Victoria was suffering from a childcare crisis.
“We’ve got childcare deserts right across the regions, with towns like Seymour only having one childcare centre for a population of over 7000 people,” Ms Wilson said.
“This means that families are not able to go back to work and they’re not able to find care for their children.
“The Government needs to step up and move faster with its childcare reforms.
Waiting until 2028 for Seymour to get a government-funded childcare centre is simply unacceptable.”
