Protect Critical Family Day Care Services in Braddon

We, the undersigned Tasmanian Residents, draw to the attention of the House:

That the ECU are directing Family Day Care Tasmania to de-register two dual-educator FDC services in Latrobe and Spreyton. The closures of Addisons and Abracadabra will leave 50 families and 83 children without ECEC, resulting in severe financial hardship and loss of work for the families in a region experiencing critical ECEC shortages. The FDCs have provided quality education and care for 15 & 20 years without incident and at no increased risk to enrolled children.

We, the petitioners, believe that it is the purpose of the government to govern in a way that does not disadvantage children living in this state, which the closure of these services would do.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House call on the Government to:

•   Review the decision of the Education and Care Unit in relation to dual-educator Family Day Care services in Tasmania and allow for the two services to continue operating as FDCs.

•  Support innovative FDC models in regional and remote communities where these opportunities exist to overcome the critical lack of access to early childhood education and care.