GOULBURN’S TAFE Children’s Centre will cease operations at the end of 2015, leaving five full-time and additional part-time employees without jobs.
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The closure, attributed to “significant financial loss,” was announced to parents in a letter dated September 17.
But Dr Ursula Stephens, a former TAFE teacher and former Labor senator, says the facility should never have been viewed as a “money making operation”.
Rather, she says, it’s a community service.
“One of the important things about the TAFE childcare centres is that they are supposed to be a part of the access and equity programs of TAFE,” Dr Stephens said.
“TAFE is not a for-profit organisation, it’s the Government running services to support our students. It’s not supposed to be a money making operation.”
It is understood some 40 children are currently enrolled at the TAFE facility, which caters for children from six weeks to five years of age.
In its current capacity, the centre acts as a practical learning environment for TAFE early childhood education and care students, as well as providing a flexible childcare option for parents and carers studying at the campus.
What support services remain for parents attending TAFE remains unclear.
Students from 2016 will undertake work placement with other childcare providers in the area.
An external review of TAFE NSW Children’s Centres, undertaken in 2012, first highlighted concerns of “financial viability,” a TAFE Illawarra spokesperson said.
She said TAFE Illawarra implemented a number of operational recommendations over the past two years, alongside a “range of strategies” to improve enrolment numbers at the centre.
Specifically what strategies and recommendations were put into action were not revealed.
A “change in the profile of students” attending the Goulburn Campus and a “steady decline in demand” at the care centre contributed to the shut-down.
“An increase in the number of childcare providers in Goulburn has led to a surplus of vacant childcare places. This surplus and competition has made it difficult for the Goulburn Centre to operate at close to full capacity,” the spokesperson said.
“Parents of children currently attending have been advised of the closure and a meeting will be held with parents/ caregivers of enrolled children to provide details of alternative child care centres in the Goulburn region.”
The closure will leave yet another building vacant on the campus, with no current plans to “dispose of any land or facilities”.
A request for exact figures on the financial loss was also declined.
A ‘significant’ loss
DR Stephens said the closure of TAFE’s Children’s Centre is the “easy option”. “The smarter option would be to consult with the community… There are things that TAFE could have done if they wanted to,” she said.
“We should be getting the community to rally around the TAFE childcare centre and say ‘we need it here’ and let’s see what we can do to sustain it here. Let’s not just give up the ghost just because they’ve made the announcement.”
She called on State Member for Goulburn Pru Goward to stand up for the local jobs impacted.
“Who is standing up for the jobs? Who is standing up for the public sector jobs that are here in TAFE, the electricity industry, in all the jobs that have gone in the amalgamation into Service NSW? Our local member is absolutely silent on all of these things.”
When asked for comment, Ms Goward directed the Post to the statement issued by TAFE NSW.
