Murrumbidgee to investigate ECEC provision in Council meeting

The Murrumbidgee Council will host a community meeting tonight to provide an update on its Early Childcare Centre project which follows on from a Feasibility Study into the demand for local early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Darlington Point, conducted by Julia Ham from ECQ Services on behalf of Council in March this year.

Ms Ham’s report found both a “need and want” for local ECEC services that support children under three years of age through to before and after school care options, and a desire for five days a week provision. 

Mayor Ruth McRae has called on Darlington Point residents to get involved in the project and have their say at tonight’s meeting (6 December 2022), which will be held from 6pm at the Darlington Point Sports Club.

“At the meeting, we will give an update on the project and also form a committee to pursue the project,” Mayor McRae told news source Griffith Phoenix.

“We know there’s a lot of interest and demand for the facility, so we’re calling on the community to support the project and push it along.”

“We’ve seen how successful projects like this can be with the state of the art Jerilderie Early Learning Centre now operating and we’d like to see the same happen in both Darlington Point and Coleambally.”

Ms Ham’s investigations included a community survey, which showed almost 100 per cent of residents saying they would access ECEC services if they were available in Darlington Point, with long day care and before and after school care the preferred options, followed by preschool and family day care. 

Currently families have access to two days per week at Darlington Point Preschool, a mobile service operated by the Riverina Children’s Activity Van.

To access the original coverage of this story, please see here.