Tasmania’s Central Coast Council looks to other ECEC options as demand grows

Tasmania’s Central Coast Council is “being forced to reconsider” the future of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) services it provides in the midst of unprecedented demand, local news source Sea FM Tas has reported. 

 

According to a report commissioned by the Council there would be a need to almost double the number of ECEC staff the Council employs as well as expanding the number of available places for children in order to meet expected future demands for care. 

 

The report looked at services provided by the council, including long day care, outside school hours care and vacation care, finding that in the medium term (the next eight to ten years) the Council would need to boost its ECEC workforce from 40 to 70, and to  increase the number of available places for children from 250 to 440. 

 

As such, report authors have urged the Council to consider alternative ownership models, including outsourcing management of the services to external providers, or increasing its own commitment to services, something which would likely be a multimillion dollar commitment. 

 

Central Coast Mayor Cheryl Fuller has indicated that a decision from the Council, in terms of future direction, is expected in September, following a period of consultation with key stakeholders, including the broader community. 

 

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