Locals question who will staff 109-place service proposed for Goulburn, NSW

A development application for a new early childhood service in the New South Wales regional town of Goulburn has locals questioning who will staff it.

 

Katie Beelen-Smith is an operations manager for Anglicare Early Child Education and Care, and oversees three service providers in Canberra, one in Queanbeyan, and four in Goulburn and Marulan. 

 

While demand for services definitely exists, staffing the existing services  in the region is problematic, Ms Beelen-Smith told local news source About Regional: “we are in a workforce crisis, we do not have anywhere near the number of educators and early childhood teachers we need to adequately staff these services.”

 

The latest proposed service would see an existing residential home and shed demolished, with a two-storey 109-place service built in its place with underground parking for 25 cars.

 

12 educators would be needed, with 14 staff in the service overall including leadership and ancillary staff, with the service open from 7 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday. 

 

17 of the 109 places would be for children from birth to two years of age, 15 places for children aged two to three years of age, and 77 places for children aged between three and five years. 

 

68 children would be educated and cared for on the ground level, which would have four classrooms, an outdoor place space, an office area, a nappy change room, laundry, kitchen, toileting space, lift, access stairs, an accessible toilet and a laundry. 

 

The upper level would accommodate the further 41 children, along with a staff room, a second kitchen, a service room, an accessible bathroom, stairs, lift, and two classrooms.

 

An operator for the service has yet to be determined. 

 

Read the About Regional coverage of the story here.