General News
19 June, 2023
School, mums ready to talk on care
A KEY stakeholder is waiting for talks with the State Government on site selection for the Loddon’s first child care centre. Wedderburn College community has been pushing for young mothers to access child care for two years. But while Loddon Shire...
A KEY stakeholder is waiting for talks with the State Government on site selection for the Loddon’s first child care centre.
Wedderburn College community has been pushing for young mothers to access child care for two years.
But while Loddon Shire last week confirmed the Government had held talks with council, Wedderburn mothers and college principal Danny Forrest say they are still to be contacted.
Tammy Martin, who is also president of the town’s development committee said: “We need to know one way or the other whether we will have a child care centre.
“The Government needs to talk with us so we can explain the situation here,” she said.
Loddon is the only total child care desert in Victoria and has been earmarked to receive one of 50 government centres to open over the next four years.
Principal Danny Forrest said his school had land available that would allow an immediate start to construction of a centre.
“Young mothers have spent the past two years documenting the impact on families, businesses and careers as a result of no child care facilities and will continue until action is taken,” he said.
“We all want to sit down now to give the Government a complete picture of what is needed.”
Renewed advocacy by the Wedderburn community comes as businessman Mark Klose confirmed he had withdrawn from plans to open a private centre in Boort.
Mr Klose had proposed a centre in Godfrey Street but has now sold the building. “There was limited support from the shire and government and I don’t see it possibly working.”