Parents in Kingston SE will have access to additional childcare services with a re-elected Liberal Government committing $1.8m to deliver a new Kingston Childcare Centre.
Making the announcement to the Kingston District Council and Kingston SE Early Learning and Childcare Services Working Group (KELCS), Member for Barker Tony Pasin said access to adequate childcare services would be a huge win for the whole community.
“Not only is early childhood education beneficial for children but it allows both parents the ability to re-enter the workforce.
“The flow on benefits of this for the community will be huge,” Mr Pasin said.
“Increasing the childcare offering in Kingston SE will give the opportunity to increase household incomes, easing cost of living pressures and it will open the door for local businesses to a new pool of employees.
“Allowing parents back into the workforce will really boost the local economy.”
The Kingston SE community has been actively working to address a childcare shortage since 2017 with the KELCS being established in 2019 aiming to see the development and continuous operation of services which address early learning and childcare needs in the community.
Mr Pasin said after regular engagement with the KELCS group and strong advocacy to colleagues in Federal Parliament it was fantastic to be able to deliver the commitment to the group.
“I understand that this has been a long journey and a lot of hard work for the working group. I commend their dedication.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with such a proactive community to address this issue,” Mr Pasin said.
Kingston SE Early Learning and Childcare Services Working Group chair Kirsty Starling said the funding was a game changer for the community.
“A new early learning centre will be pivotal for families and children in the Kingston area.
“It will allow for improved learning opportunities for young children, enable parents to return to the workforce and support our local businesses,” Ms Starling said.
“We are ecstatic to receive this funding! We have been advocating for equal access to early learning opportunities for over 5 years and this funding will be game changing for our community.
“Others living in rural areas will understand how essential services, such as access to childcare, are not always readily available but are so important for our communities to thrive.
“This funding will be life changing for many families.”
