Parents concerned about kinder closure

Concerned parents have petitioned Victoria’s Geelong Council, expressing issues with the planned closure of free sessional kindergarten at Alexander Thomson Uniting Kindergarten, operated by Uniting Victoria/Tasmania at the end of the year, potentially to be replaced by long day care services which would attract a fee for service.

The Belmont Uniting Church owns the site, local news source Geelong Advertiser reported, and has communicated its intention to redevelop the site, with part of the land potentially to be used for a new early childhood education service.

Parents affected by the closure, the paper notes, have been ‘battling’ with the church for 12 months. Alexander Thomson Kindergarten Committee treasurer Megan Linklater spoke with the Geelong Advertiser, saying that after asking the church to reconsider for months, the community turned to the council asking for a fully funded kindergarten in its place.

More than 50 three year old children are enrolled to access the service in 2025, leaving parents with limited options.

“We’re asking for Geelong city council to provide an alternative venue in Belmont, and the department of education to try to help us find a solution, and the local councillors and MPs to listen to the community,” Ms Linklater said.

Speaking with the paper Uniting Victoria/Tasmania general manager early learning Fiona Balsillie emphasised that no other kindergarten services run by the provider in Geelong were at risk of closing.

“As a not-for-profit service, our stand-alone, no-fee kindergartens rely on paying peppercorn rents to landlords, including church partners, local councils, schools or other community groups,” she said.

“While department data indicates that there is sufficient capacity in Belmont, this does not align with the feedback we are receiving from the community.”

A Department of Education spokeswoman said it would keep working with the City of Greater Geelong and local kindergarten providers to help families in the Belmont area access a kindergarten program.

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