Closure preciptates childcare crisis

JO RICHARDS

The recent, unexpected closure of an Early Learning Centre has precipitated a crisis of childcare in Golden Bay.

The local community was thrilled when Little Red Fox (LRF) opened in Tukurua last July – in the same building as the previous incumbent, Kakariki Kids, which closed in late 2021. But last month’s sudden demise of LRF has left dozens of young children with nowhere to go and put parents and caregivers in a seemingly impossible position.

Many of those affected attended Tuesday evening’s meeting at Collingwood Area School, where options were discussed and anxious parents raised questions. CAS BOT member Jessica Howell facilitated the forum, alongside Golden Bay Kindergarten head teacher Rebecca Olney and the CEO of Nelson Tasman Kindergartens Craig Vercoe.

Describing the current situation as “dynamic and fluid” Craig explained that there was institutional will to support early learning facilities. “Schools have an appetite for ECE capacity… and the Ministry [of Education] has an appetite for provision.”

He explained that “two conversations” were now happening – one focused on a short-term fix, and the other concerned with a long-term solution.

Comments from the floor stressed the urgent need to resolve the situation, so that parents critically reliant on childcare arrangements can continue to work and live in the community.

There has been insufficient provision of early childhood education (ECE) in the community for decades; even while LRF was operating at full capacity, waiting lists for places at the Bay’s other kindergartens, playcentres and ECEs, were long, with some applicants hanging on for years for a space to become available. Rebecca said GB Kindergarten currently had a “huge wait list”, a situation exacerbated by the “big rush” of applications received when LRF closed. But she said there were a few spaces opening up and she could look at prioritising the “desperate” cases where parents could lose their jobs due to lack of childcare.

She highlighted the risk of losing trained personnel if the crisis was not sorted out quickly. “If it’s sooner rather than later we might be able to retain staff, but if they can’t get a job, they’ll leave.”

But sorting things out quickly will be challenging. The Ministry’s strict licencing requirements mean that establishing an Early Learning Centre is a complex and potentially timeconsuming procedure, requiring significant resources.

Several parents asked what they could do to help and suggested forming a committee to explore options and drive the process. Craig welcomed the idea. “Setting up a committee is a good thing.”

Rebecca agreed. “When people come together and there’s a need, they can do anything.”