The mobile day care service relied on by communities like Kergunyah, Mitta Mitta and Walwa could soon come to an end because of a looming change in federal government funding.
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The Albury-Wodonga Community College mobile program and 45 similar services across Australia would not be considered viable under amendments to Budget Based Funding and Family Assistance legislation.
National Association of Mobile Services chairperson Anne Bowler said the funding model, that if passed would come into affect in June 2018, would force the service to stop in some areas.
“The (current) budget-based funding was around an operational subsidy model, so you get extra money to travel out to these communities with low numbers of children,” she said.
“The other model is about numbers and viability. You can run a centre like the one we have at Wodonga with 40 to 60 children, but you’re not going to get those numbers out in rural communities.
“We could adapt the services and parents would have to pay a higher fee, but certainly towns like Oaklands and Kergunyah will close.”
Under the AWCC service, staff travel across North East Victoria and Southern NSW, delivering early child care to 330 families.
Indi MP Cathy McGowan said the mobile day care model was born 25 years ago.
“I wrote a report called Country Kids – Who cares? and we researched what the childcare options were for farming families and people in small towns,” he said.
“The end result of it was we got a little money and a lot of volunteer work to talk to the Victorian, NSW and Commonwealth governments to come up with a model of mobile childcare.
“It’s been working really well, everyone’s happy with it and the government’s going to change it.
“Changing the funding model means we can’t afford to deliver it to little towns like Tallangatta Valley, Mitta Mitta and Walwa.”
Ms McGowan has met with Education Minister Simon Birmingham to propose a funding stream specific for remote and rural services.
“An inquiry started last week and we have got 15 submissions in – the Senate is having a public hearing next week,” she said.
“Once the inquiry finishes the government wants to get the legislation through in November, so it’s a very tight timeframe.”
Ms McGowan said it was crucial the government heeded the warnings on the impact the funding shift could have.
“I’m not at all confident, because the system doesn’t want to move – it’s much easier to have a one-size-fits-all,” she said.
“Farming and rural communities need childcare.”
