Community & Business
4 August, 2021
Childcare future in danger for Herberton families
YOUNG families in Herberton could be left without a childcare service after the current service chose not to extend their lease.
YOUNG families in Herberton could be left without a childcare service after the current service chose not to extend their lease.
Currently within Herberton there is only one childcare provider who has been privately operating for over 14 years.
Now due to the increase in costs associated with running the service they have chosen not to reapply for their lease and no other suitable tenders were put forward.
Emma Peverill and other young mothers from the Herberton community have stated that without the childcare service, many will be forced to move out of the town.
“Saying this service is extremely important is an understatement, there are families that will have to move,” she said.
“Which will affect businesses, the state and high school, a lot is depending on this little facility to keep going.
“A daycare is like number one on a mother’s checklist, if I was going to move somewhere I want to know if there is a school, afterschool care, holiday care, and that’s what this facility provided.”
At the recent TRC general council meeting council passed a motion to extend the timeframe for the current lease until December 31 to help ease the burden on the community.
The current providers have agreed to continue running the service until December 10 which coincides with the end of the current school year.
One of the alternatives on the cards is the establishment of a not-for-profit kindergarten and/or childcare association that would be operated by a parent committee.
This option is the most viable and the one that is currently being pursued Emma and other young mothers in Herberton.
“We need to form a committee and we can’t move forward in anyway shape or form until we have this committee,” Emma said.
“We need people to step up to fill the roles of president, vice president and so on.
“We’re not even allowed to even try these next steps until the committee is formed.”
If you are concerned about the future of Herberton and are looking for a way to help or want to be a part of the committee please email your interest to futureofherbertondaycare@ gmail.com
