LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin is encouraging local early childhood education and care providers to apply for funding under a new $20 million Minns Labor Government program to create extra places for children in Tenterfield.
“Families living in communities like Tenterfield need more places in their local preschools and long daycare centres,” Ms Saffin said.
“I want to encourage local services who can get shovels in the ground in the next 12 months to apply to build a new service or expand an existing one.
“The Minns Labor Government supports local businesses who are providing care and education to our kids in the crucial early years.”
Under the Building Early Learning Places Program, hundreds of extra families will get access to early childhood education and care with the Government committing to accelerate the build of new services or expand facilities in areas of greatest need.
The new program will support eligible not-for-profit community preschools and long daycare centres in 31 targeted areas across the state, including Tenterfield on the Northern Tablelands, as well as places delivered by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) service providers.
It will support the anticipated creation of at least 300 additional spaces a week for children aged 0 to 6 in communities where there is an undersupply of early childhood education and care, giving children the best start to education no matter where they live.
This is in addition to a raft of measures that the Minns Government has introduced to ensure more families across the state can access affordable, quality early childhood education and care services close to home. These include:
- More than $430 million in preschool fee relief for families in 2024-25
- A $20-million Flexible Initiatives Trial, which provides grants to early childhood education and care services so that they can trial new and innovative ways of operating. This includes weekend hours and flexible drop off and pick-up times — to better cater for families’ needs.
- More than $17 million in scholarships and professional development to increase the pipeline of ECEC educators and teachers
- More than $5 million for Business Capability Development Program, to support early childhood services with business skills.
More information, including how to apply and opening dates for the program, can be found on the department’s website at www.education.nsw.gov.au/BuildingEarlyLearningPlaces
