EARLY LEARNING CENTRE

EARLY LEARNING CENTRE FORCED TO RESTRUCTURE DUE TO GOVERNMENT POLICY CHANGES After much unsuccessful advocacy, regrettably, and due to unforeseeable Government policy changes, the Early Learning Centre on Macleay Island has been forced to restructure its services for 2024. According to owner Petra McLean, the objective is to create as little disruption as possible to 'Our Island' families with relatively minor changes required to be made for 2024 to enable our service to remain open to support the island community, while funding communications continue with both the State and Federal Departments of Education. In a public statement, she says: “Our Community needs your support to enable the continuation of early learning services, that includes programs and care from birth up to and including school aged children. “To assist us in the retention of our on-island childcare services, please voice the benefits that on-island access to these services have provided to you/your family and/or your concerns on how your family circumstances would be impacted by a whole service closure and/or further reductions in care hours and/or limiting attendance by age range e.g. Care for children under 3 years of age. This may include: "Benefits of on-island childcare services * Ability to undertake workforce participation activities eg study, volunteering, paid work, practicums etc. * Life/work balance * Parenting support and guidance * Child at risk safety net * Ability to attend personal appointments/tasks without children * Not having to transit children to the mainland for care on the passenger ferry system * Access to casual care when required * Child observation referrals to support access to Qld Child Health and/or NDIS * Collaboration to access on-island Child development screening and intervention programs * Inclusion of children requiring additional support within their learning environment * Access to a variety of sessions of care allowing maximum Child/Educator contact for families with childcare subsidy restrictions (not available on the mainland) * Access to Jarjum Family Space (community space on Fridays) to develop community connections * Provide a Non-Government space for community use * Providing Our Island Community access to high quality educational programs with locally sourced exceptional and caring educators and early childhood teachers "Impacts of closure * Limitations placed on workforce participation * Limitations place on family appointments/tasks, especially those requiring mainland access ie attendance/travel with children * Community economic impacts from loss of 18 island based jobs plus island contractors * Limitations on local workforce accessibility for government (Emergency services, Teachers and other essential workers) * Limitations on local workforce accessibility for island small businesses * Travel costs up to $38 daily and transit times of up to 2 hours to take children to/from a mainland early learning service in order to work on our islands. * Relocation of additional families from our islands to the mainland in order to access essential services * No accessibility for child at risk or safety net for children under school age * Loss of an island based higher education and career pathway ie supported Certificates, Diplomas and University degrees in Early Childhood Education * Limiting access to on-island child and family support advocates * Negative impact of all of the above on island economic development and real estate values "Your support will ensure that our community voice is heard, as government engagement remains limited due to not serving their political narrative via urgent email addressed to all contacts below: * Kim Richards, MP (State) : redlands@parliment.qld.gov.au * Henry Pike, MP (Federal) : Henry.pike@aph.gov.au * Tania Porter, EC DDG (State Early Childhood) : DDG.EC@qed.qld.gov.au * Office of the Director-General (State Department of Education): Correspondence.DETE@qed.qld.gov.au * Hon Jason Clare MP (Federal Minister of Education) : jason.clare.mp@aph.gov.au "In order to collate and gauge the level of community support, please send a copy of any email of support to: admin@biearlylearning.com.au Additionally, come along to the Jarjum Bagarra program held from 8:45 - 11:45am at Curlew Cove (building adjacent to the main centre) on Friday 8th December to show your support. Feel free to come and discuss any issues or concerns with myself or our admin team."