FORUM: Your Council and Child Care – What’s the Future?

FORUM

Go straight to the Facebook Event here 

YOUR COUNCIL AND CHILD CARE: WHAT’S THE FUTURE?

The COMMUNITY ALLIANCE OF PORT PHILLIP invites you to a community forum on Sunday 4 August, from 3-5pm at South Melbourne Community Centre, Cnr Park Street and Ferrars Place, South Melbourne.

Did you know that Port Phillip Council is about to make a major decision about whether to continue providing and supporting child care services? This decision is scheduled to be made on 4 September.

For decades now the City of Port Phillip has played a leadership role in children’s services locally – providing child care in its own centres (currently five), as well as supporting eight parent and community-managed child care centres throughout our municipality.

Playing this role ensures that centres are truly community-based, responsive to local families’ needs, able to link families in to other services, are not run for profit, support good working conditions and professional development, and guard against market failure for disadvantaged families.

• IS COUNCIL ABOUT TO MAKE A DECISION WE DON’T WANT?
• DOES COUNCIL HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION?
• WHAT DO THE EXPERTS HAVE TO SAY?
• WHAT IS THE PROBLEM COUNCIL IS WANTING TO FIX?

This is a discussion for everyone who lives in Port Phillip who cares about how local services are delivered. We need to better understand the issues so we can let Council know what we, the community, want for our local children’s services. This is why CAPP is organising this community forum. All are welcome, including babies and children.

Hear what our panel of experts have to say about key issues:

Dr Tim Moore
Senior Research Fellow, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and author of the evidence review for CITY of Port Phillip on Children’s Services

Linda Davison
Director of Clarendon Street Children’s Centre

Julie Price
CEO of Community Child Care Victoria

Brian Newman
Educator, writer and advocate for children’s services; Chair of the National Children’s Education and Care Reference Committee for Educator training

Isabelle Oderberg
Parent at a Council run Child Care Centre

Dominique Barker
Parent at a Community Managed Child Care Centre

There will be plenty of time for audience questions and discussion.

The Centre is accessible and close to public transport (Tram route 96; Melways Ref: 57F2, 2K B4). Disability reserved parking is also available at the front of the building. Car parking is available in nearby streets. Children attending will need to be under adult supervision.

You can download the flyer for this event here: https://capp.org.au/library/CAPPChildcareForumEmailFlyer.pdf

You can join the Facebook Event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/863959303985987/

OUR SUBMISSION

The Community Alliance of Port Phillip believes that “Council should continue to directly provide children’s services to the community and support and resource community managed services including childcare centres, kindergartens, after school care and holiday programs.” (CAPP 2017 Policy Framework, page 15)

CAPP policy also states that Council should: “Consult in a genuine way with staff of children’s services, management committees and parents before amending or developing new and existing policies and practices.”

CAPP is unconvinced that genuine consultation has been achieved, particularly in light of the recommendation of the Children’s Services Reference Group that a diversity of childcare services should be supported, including council run and community managed child care services.

You can view and download CAPP’s EVERY CHILD OUR FUTURE Submission here:

https://capp.org.au/library/CAPPChildrensServicePolicySubmission.pdf