22 April 2024
Working families across NSW are set to benefit from more access to early childhood and education and care, including new programs, longer hours, weekend operating hours and additional places, as part of a new $20 million program.
The Flexible Initiatives Trial (FIT) aims to address parents’ barriers to workforce participation, particularly for women, by supporting early childhood services to adapt their offerings and hours where a local community need is identified.
Some 16 early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across metropolitan and regional NSW will receive more than $2.8 million in funding as the first round of successful applicants is announced.
Examples of the family-friendly benefits can include:
• extending hours of operation beyond traditional working hours
• providing flexible pick-up and drop-off times
• giving families the ability to make occasional or ad hoc care arrangements
• establishing new family day care services in rural and remote areas
• partnerships between two different service types to provide extended or wraparound care
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said, “Every child in NSW deserves to start school with strong educational foundations, and we know early childhood education is vital in setting young children up for success. This trial is supporting existing services to expand their offerings and respond to the needs of their local communities. This will look different in different areas across the state, with more flexibility and expanded offerings, which is a great outcome for parents and our youngest learners.”
Member for Wollondilly, Judy Hannan MP welcomed the extended hours “Residents of Wollondilly have a huge need for childcare services and this extension of hours of the Bowral Street Childcare will go towards a community that needs to travel extensive hours for work.”
“Over 60% of the population in Wollondilly and Wingecarribee travel outside of the region for work, the extensive hours require flexibility for parents and this gives another option. I look forward to the program running well and more Wollondilly services being offered subsidies in future” concluded Judy Hannan MP.
Media: [email protected] or Benn Banasik 0434 832 636