Our View

March 5, 2013: Not child’s play

SAVING the Kadina Childcare Centre from closure will not be a matter of child’s play.

The centre is not-for-profit, but it definitely cannot run at a loss.

Its financial situation is so serious it could close in a month unless things turn for the better.

Childcare is not cheap.

Only yesterday, the Commonwealth Bank revealed its customers had used their credit cards to pay childcare fees totalling $152million in 2012.

That figure, which is, again, for just one major bank, is expected to increase 10 per cent this year.

In fact, according to a recent Productivity Commission report, childcare costs are on average chewing up a fifth of the family budget.

Fees will not become cheaper, and it is understandable why many families do not view childcare as a viable option.

But if community centres can’t make the money needed to stay up and running, those left standing will have the monopoly.

We all know what can happen to prices when that occurs.

Childcare facilities can help kids learn valuable skills and allow them to socialise, but when they close it is the parents who feel the pressure.

The centres allow parents to return to work and, even if their wages only barely offset the childcare costs, every dollar helps for young families.

Returning to work is often also an important step for a parent, providing an opportunity for them to get out of the house.

Indeed, the Kadina Childcare Centre is run by volunteer management committee of mums, who are fighting desperately for its future.

Kadina is fortunate to have two fantastic childcare facilities but, as the Kadina Childcare Centre users attest, it is good to have a choice.

The centre has been a local institution for more than two decades, and only the support of locals can keep it open.

Nick Perry, Senior Journalist