Regional childcare focus for WA

THE availability of regional childcare facilities has been a recent focus for the government, with state funding being announced for various projects across Western Australia.

Community Services Minister Robyn McSweeney recently announced $687,329 in Royalties for Regions funding would go towards 21 Neighbourhood Model regional occasional childcare centres.

Ms McSweeney said the state government had recognised the importance of the service to regional communities and had been funding the centres to stay open until the end of 2010 since the announcement of cuts to the budget last year.

The program had previously received 52 per cent and 48 per cent funding from the federal and state governments respectively.

The new funding commitment will cover 100 per cent service provider costs to the end of 2012, providing certainty to occasional care centres located across the Wheatbelt, Kimberley, Great Southern, South West, Mid West, Pilbara and Peel regions.

“The federal government stopped its funding with no notification, which would have left these service providers with no ability to operate if the State Government had not stepped in,” Ms McSweeney said.

Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls said 17 of the 21 services were located in a town or community where no other childcare options were available.