The District Council of Coober Pedy will increase fees at the Mini Gems Children’s Centre by 20 per cent from January next year in a bid to keep the service running.
Key points:
- The District Council of Coober Pedy has asked the state and federal governments for support
- Childcare fees could decrease if more children enrol
- Several parents have stated they will leave town if the centre closes
Parents will have to pay $120 a day to send their child to the centre instead of $100.
The council was receiving a transitional grant of $200,000 a year that funded the operational costs, but that funding will cease at the end of the year, which has forced the council to increase the price.
Parents in Coober Pedy were consulted on the issue and the council said it would review the Mini Gems fees every three months and write to the state government to seek further funding.
The council is also open to the idea of a private investor or the Department of Education taking over operations.
Council administrator Tim Jackson said several parents stated they would have to leave the community if the centre closed or if fees were raised beyond their financial means.
“It’s concerning, because half of the children we look after, their parents are providing public services like health, education and law and order,” Mr Jackson said.
“Population is a very important foundation for the town and childcare is something that attracts people to the town and retains them.
“We’ve got to ensure it stays open.”
Unable to give up work
Full-time worker Erandika Fernando lives in Coober Pedy and her daughter, Iyana, has been attending Mini Gems for almost two years.
She said the closure of the centre would have a drastic impact on her life.
“I may have to quit my job and we might have to move away from Coober Pedy,” Ms Fernando said.
“We want to stay in Coober Pedy for another two years — we’re not ready to leave yet.”
“It’s really important to have my kids somewhere safe and the things she learns from there are so important.”
Rebecca Nicolle and her husband have lived in Coober Pedy for about two years.
She said they would have to leave if Mini Gems closed because they could not afford to give up working to look after their two children.
“One of us would have to quit work in the meantime while we look for jobs back in Adelaide,” Ms Nicolle said.
“We don’t have extended family here to help, so childcare is a necessity.
“We’ve made so many wonderful friends here and we volunteer in the community so it would be sad if we were forced to leave.”
Financial relief on the way
In last night’s budget it was revealed the childcare subsidy rebate would increase to 90 per cent from next July.
Mini Gems has 20 children enrolled in its care.
If the centre was able to enrol another 12 children it would make a $70,000 profit, which could potentially decrease the fees.
“Twelve more children is a significant increase so I doubt we will get that many, but let’s have a crack at it,” Mr Jackson said.
“The more children we can have, the cost per child is going to be less.”
The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.
