By NICOLE VALICEK
PARENTS have described the decision by Hobsons Bay City Council to not outsource its two early learning centres as a triumphant win for families in the municipality.
The council unanimously voted not to act on a motion put forward in November last year to outsource Altona Meadows and Altona North early learning centres at its meeting last Tuesday night.
More than 100 parents, children and Australian Services Union representatives converged in front of the council chamber before the meeting to support the centres, which provide childcare for more than 200 children.
A petition against the outsourcing, signed by more than 600, was tabled at the council meeting.
The council will conduct an independent review of the council’s Childcare Public Policy statement.
This will include consultation with affected staff and their representatives, parents with children attending the centres, community members and other stakeholders.
The council will receive a further report following the completion of the consultation process.
Hobsons Bay City Council Mayor Sandra Wilson said the council had taken on board community feedback in its decision.
“It is a positive response to the concerns expressed by families with children at Altona North and Altona Meadows,” Cr Wilson said.
Mother Rachel Hart said the council’s decision was a fantastic win for parents.
“Parents at both centres were visibly outraged at the lack of consultation that led to the initial decision to outsource,” she said.
She said the council’s change of heart will give parents an opportunity to have their voices heard and the opportunity to have input into decisions that have an impact their children and the community.
“This is just the start of what we hope will be an open and transparent process.”
Donna Naismith, whose children attended Altona Meadows Child Care Centre for a decade, said the decision was a step in the right direction, but there was still some way to go.
“The council have a policy of community engagement and an employment obligation to have spoken to their educators about this before the initial decision,” she said.
She said outsourcing the centres will result in “lower wages for the predominately female workforce, increased turnover and, as such, diminished quality”.
“We need to keep working with them to explain why their best practice children’s centres are special places of excellence.”
“They should be proud of their management of them, not looking to outsource them.”
Information about the council’s decision is available on the council’s website.
