Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton today welcomed the allocation of an additional $3.3 million to support vital child care services in the Parkes electorate and help meet the needs of local families.
Mr Coulton said 15 services in the Parkes electorate will receive funding through the Coalition Government’s Community Child Care Fund (CCCF).
“This funding will help local child care services improve access to quality care, particularly in remote, rural and disadvantaged parts of the Parkes electorate,” Mr Coulton said.
“It will be good for our local kids, good for our hard-working families and ultimately for our community. It will also have a positive economic benefit by allowing more local parents to get back into work or to take on additional hours if they chose.
“The funds will support services in areas such as Bourke, Lake Cargelligo and Lightning Ridge that may need support to keep operating, or to fund capital projects to improve services and increase the number of places available.”
Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge said more than 640 child care services around Australia would share in more than $100 million through the program.
“We are committed to giving every Australian family access to quality child care, regardless of where they live or their circumstances,” Minister Tudge said.
“In some remote areas, there may only be one or two child care services operating and it is critical we keep these open and help improve and expand facilities so more kids can attend.
“This program also helps services to run initiatives that reduce barriers which may otherwise prevent local kids from accessing care.”
Minister for Regional Education Bridget McKenzie said the CCCF would help ensure child care continued to be available for many families in the Parkes electorate
“These grants will have tangible benefits for child care providers that will flow to local children and their families,” Minister McKenzie said.
“It means more families in the Parkes electorate can take advantage of our Child Care Subsidy if they choose to work, learn or volunteer.”
Including today’s announcement, the Australian Government has allocated more than $220 million to over 1,000 child care services through the Community Child Care Fund since 2018.
The Coalition Government is investing around $10 billion in child care this year to support around 1 million families. The 2021 Budget delivered further support to reduce the out of pocket costs for parents with multiple children aged under six in care and a commitment to a $2 billion preschool funding agreement for access to early learning for all children in the year before school.
More information on the Community Child Care Fund can be found on the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website.
Successful recipients in the Parkes electorate:
- Coonamble Children’s Services Incorporated – $150,000 for capital support
- Coonamble Children’s Services Incorporated – $200,000 for sustainability support
- Dubbo Family Day Care – $30,000 for community support
- Dubbo Family Day Care – $54,000 for sustainability support
- Moree Family Incorporated – $79,500 for community support
- Moree Family Incorporated – $221,130 for sustainability support
- Little Possums Childcare and Early Learning Centre Pty Ltd, Warren – $209,401 for community support
- Little Possums Childcare and Early Learning Centre Pty Ltd, Warren – $370,920 for sustainability support
- Gunnedah Family Day Care – $400,000 for sustainability support
- Lachlan Children’s Services, Condobolin – $120,000 for sustainability support
- Nurruby Wee Waa OOSH – $89,743 for sustainability support
- Nurruby Wee Waa Community Child Care Centre and Preschool – $156,943 for sustainability support
- Nurruby Narrabri OOSH – $95,667 for sustainability support
- Esteem Kids St Francis Xavier’s Narrabri – $90,000 for sustainability support
- Esteem Kids St Xavier’s Gunnedah – $105,000 for sustainability support
- Tottenham War Memorial Early Childhood Centre – $195,000 for sustainability support
- Walanbaa Dhurrali Early Learning Centre, Lightning Ridge – $310,155 for sustainability support
- Bourke and District Children’s Services – $200,000 for sustainability support
- Lake Cargelligo Early Learning Centre – $225,000 for sustainability support