Lockhart’s only professional childcare provider closed its doors in May. Photo: File.
The NSW Deputy Premier said the State Government was “making good progress on a solution for the community of Lockhart” after the only professional childcare provider closed its doors in May.
Responding to a question from Wagga MP Dr Joe McGirr in parliament this week, Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said it was a work in progress.
“The Department of Education has been hard at work with the local council to find a lasting solution for these families, who have been left without local childcare,” she said.
“The department is supporting the council to establish a new long day care service on the site of the Lockhart Central School library.”
Parents in the Riverina community were left high and dry more than four months ago when the Stay N Play Child Care Centre was forced to close amid “significant child safety concerns”.
The Department of Education stated that the centre had failed to “adequately address” issues highlighted in notices first issued in October 2023.
“We are not quite there, but we are working towards that solution,” said Ms Car.
Dr McGirr welcomed the minister’s assurance that the “development of the new childcare centre in Lockhart is moving ahead”.
But after almost five months without childcare options, the Member for Wagga Wagga acknowledged the burden on families.
“I understand the frustration of community members who would like to see the project delivered sooner, but it is important that all agencies involved are able to tick off the many regulations that are required of childcare providers,” he said.
“When Lockhart’s former childcare provider closed in May, local families said they were willing to wait some months to get a centre of the high quality that parents and children need.”
The government has promised to deliver 100 new public preschools in the current term of government that would be co-located with public primary schools.
Ms Car said the Lockhart Central School library would provide an interim solution until a permanent site was found and was an example of how the NSW Government had “partnered with local government to come up with a creative solution”.
The location is already council approved for an after-school service and they are working on the requirements to convert it into a long day care centre.
“Department officers have visited the site and are providing support regarding the work to be done to upgrade the service to meet these national legal requirements,” she said.
“A builder has been engaged to start work on the progress.
“The creative and locally tailored response in Lockhart is what people can expect from this government.”
Dr McGirr said he was pleased by the government’s support for the project and he looked forward to a solution soon.
“I congratulate community members, Lockhart Shire Council and other stakeholders for their collaboration in working towards delivering the best possible childcare option to Lockhart,” he said.
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