A VITAL childcare service will continue to run until the end of the year following Brimbank Council’s decision to cover the loss of Take-a-Break funding.
The council last week approved once-off funding of $24,677 for occasional childcare services at Duke Street Community House in Sunshine and $14,148 to BPA Children Services for its programs at the Sydenham and Cairnlea community centres.
The Take-a-Break scheme ended on December 31 after months of bickering between the state and federal governments over who should provide the funding.
More than 220 community organisations received government funding under the program, with 120 being neighbourhood houses and learning centres.
Occasional childcare in Brimbank is delivered from the council’s St Albans and Sunshine leisure centres, neighbourhood and community houses in seven locations, offering 115 places in 37 sessions per week.
Council chairman Peter Lewinsky said it had to take short-term action to ensure the initial loss of government funding did not impact on childcare services.
“The occasional childcare program is an important and valued service in Brimbank because it provides a much-needed respite for parents and guardians of children aged up to six,” he said.
“It was disappointing that the Victorian government withdrew funding last year from the high-impact program, which provides significant benefits to families. Council has been doing what it can to mitigate the loss of this funding.”
Duke Street Community House manager Bronwen Merrigan said the council’s decision was great news for families.
“This funding is a bit of a lifesaver because there are a number of families which rely on us for respite,” she said.
“There are a lot of parents with kids with disabilities who need somewhere to go to have a break. People don’t have extended family networks to rely on for childcare like they did in previous decades.”
