Little River parents are hoping the federal government will overturn its decision to stop funding an out-of-hours care program at the town’s primary school.
As reported by Star Weekly, the school has been told that funding for its out-of-hours care program will cease early next year because 2011 census data showed the town was in a major city (Geelong).
The town has previously been classified as “inner regional”, allowing the school to access $16,000 in funding.
The before-and-after school care service is used by 39 of the school’s 77 families.
The school fears that without federal funding, the program will close, leaving 57 children without care.
Concerned parents met Lalor MP Joanne Ryan and opposition assistant education spokeswoman Amanda Rishworth last Friday to air their concerns.
Ms Ryan said the government had the ability to waive the criteria that led to the funding cancellation, allowing the care program to continue.
She said many of the parents worked in Melbourne or Geelong and relied on the program to provide their children with a safe place to go before or after school.
Without it, some parents would be forced to send their children to schools in Wyndham or Geelong, Ms Ryan said.
“If 10 children were to leave the school, a teacher could be out of a job.”
Ms Ryan said a petition calling for the decision to be reversed had 650 signatures and would be tabled in Parliament.
Ms Rishworth said she would raise the issue with Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley.
“Anyone who drives out [to Little River] can see that it’s not a major city and that there are no other options for parents,” she said.
“For some families, losing the program will be the difference between parents studying or looking after their children, or going back to work or not. While the program was assisting families it was also keeping kids safe.”
The Education Department said it had used census data to review all childcare services receiving community support program funding and found Little River Primary School was no longer eligible under the funding guidelines.
The department said funding would continue until early February.
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