By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
YARRA Ranges Council last night unanimously voted to end its Family Day Care scheme in favour of privately run programs.
The cost to ratepayers for the service, whose popularity has steadily declined in recent years, was cited as one of the main reasons for ending the scheme.
The council has voted to discontinue the program only 15 months after voting to save it at a council meeting in June 2014.
Educators and families that currently utilise the program will be fully supported to transfer into privately-run schemes, which will ultimately be cheaper for ratepayers and families.
The council supplied the family day care scheme at a cost to council of $403,425 and loss of $266,930 of ratepayer funds in the 2014/15 financial year.
There are currently 197 families with 241 children using the scheme and 77 per cent of whom are Yarra Ranges residents. About 2.5 per cent of 1-4 years olds and their families who live in the Yarra Ranges who will be affected by this change.
At the council meeting on Tuesday 13 October, there were no speakers against the motion to end the scheme and only one speaker in favour of it.
Kathi Hewitson of Foundations Family Day Care was the sole speaker in support of the motion and assured councillors the private child care sector in the Yarra Ranges was a better option.
Ms Hewitson said her day care service was cheaper and better equipped than council’s currently but was operated under the same regulations and standards.
“Currently council charges $2.40 per child per hour plus an admin levy where as we charge $1.70 and all operate under same standards, Act, regulations and safety standards,” she said.
“The council also charges educators $2000 to be part of the service, plus additional costs to be part of the scheme where we don’t charge educators anything.”
“In effect, the council is charging a lot of money for a service that is not giving value for money.”
Presently there are 46 registered Family Day Care Schemes for the Yarra Ranges and Ms Hewitson said her service alone could accommodate the families and educators that may be put out by the change.
“My service has 84 families with 16 educators where council has 197 families with 24 educators,” she said.
“My service approval is for 60 educators so we can easily accommodate current educators and families.”
Yarra Ranges Shire social and economic development director Allie Wastie said the council would provide all support needed for educators to make the transition to other providers.
“It’s quite in depth what council officers have put in place to ensure a smooth transition for educators,” she said.
Ms Wastie noted there had already been a briefing with educators to let them know what was contained in the report and there would be further forums for educators to identify any questions and finalise which alternate providers were available.
“Council officers will assist educators with funding the update of police checks, first-aid training, etc, to ease the transition to other providers,” Ms Wastie said.
The transition of educators and families to alternate providers will commence in the coming weeks with the operation of council-run Family Day Care ending on 31 January next year.
