We aren’t inaccessible backwaters, but we’re at a disadvantage: Euroa member speaks out

State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has spoken out to local media, telling Shepparton News “our major towns aren’t inaccessible backwaters, but they are placed at a disadvantage when childcare (sic.) is so rare.”

Ms Cleeland hopes that by speaking out she will highlight the need for more accessible early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the small Victorian city of Benalla and across the electorate, with young families in competition for a limited number of spaces.

The Mitchell Institute’s 2022 report Childcare Deserts and Oases has revealed that there are a number of  ‘deserts’ across the electorate of Euroa.

“Kilmore-Broadford, Benalla region and the Seymour region are all classified as childcare deserts by the Mitchell Institute with a dearth of available places,” Ms Cleeland told the paper.

Her anecdotal evidence, from speaking to the community, is that there are many local parents who would like to get into the workforce but are unable to due to lack of available places. 

“This is a real handbrake for us and places a hurdle in front of young people who want to raise their family in the country.”

While there are a number of local providers, there are up to six children competing for any one place, something which Ms Cleeland believes is “simply not sustainable.”

The historic railway township of Seymour will shortly welcome a new ECEC service which she hopes will alleviate pressure in the region. Despite this, “there is still plenty of work to be done,” she continued, particularly for smaller communities like Murchison, Rushworth, Tooborac and Redesdale which have no access to ECEC.

“There are intense cost-of-living pressures on households now and nearly every family with young children is dependent on two incomes to financially survive,” Ms Cleeland said.

“A simple solution is to enable both parents to work by having accessible childcare (sic.).I’m determined to work with our communities and families to improve local access.”

To read the original coverage of this story please see here.