New childcare centres for regional Australia

Eight new long day care centres located in Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales will provide 360 places for children, including 130 for those under two, in areas where child care is needed.

In announcing the $4.5 million in funding for the centres today, Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, said they would be granted funding under the Australian Government’s Long Day Care Incentive Scheme funding.

‘These 360 new places are in areas where previously there has been no access to long day care,’ Senator Patterson said.

‘The Long Day Care Incentive Scheme is part of the Australian Government’s $365 million Stronger Families and Communities Strategy, which is giving families, their children and communities the opportunity to build a better future.

‘We are working towards providing Australian parents with flexible and innovative child care solutions and these additional places will continue to build on the Strategy’s success so far.

‘The Long Day Care Incentive Scheme helps Australian families manage their work, family and social commitments by providing access to affordable, quality child care.

‘Under the scheme community and private providers are offered short term incentives to establish new, viable long day care centres in rural or urban fringe areas of high demand for child care places.

‘The incentive funding will support the service’s viability while providers build their client base and utilisation rates to sustainable levels.

‘The Australian Government is committed to providing choice and flexibility in child care options. Opening up a further 360 places in these areas of high demand will assist in fulfilling the goal of supplying childcare places to those who need them most,’ Senator Patterson said.

Attached is the list of locations for the new long day care centres.