Families have been left outraged that four community childcare centres on the ANU campus won’t have their licences renewed, effectively closing them down. Photo: Parent Community of UPCCC.
Current and hopeful future parents with children at four of the ANU’s community childcare centres have been left in a tailspin following the university’s decision not to renew their operating licences.
The licences of University Preschool and Child Care Centre (UPCCC), Acton Early Child Care, Cubby House on Campus and Heritage Early Childhood Centre (all located in the Acton Conservation Precinct) are due to expire on 31 January 2025.
ANU Chief Operating Officer Christopher Price informed current families in a letter that the decision had been made not to renew them.
“Due to the age of these buildings and the ongoing work required to remediate hail damage and ensure the buildings meet our high standards, the University has explored options to help us provide the best, uninterrupted childcare services for ANU families in the future,” he wrote.
These centres will be closed unless the community operators can find another venue.
It’s a decision that’s left parents stunned.
“I just wanted to throw up when I heard the news,” one staff member who just commenced parental leave told Region.
“Finding good childcare is hard enough, and without warning, ANU is pulling the rug from underneath hundreds of families – their own staff, too!”
Another staff member told Region this announcement would impact their decision to return to work.
“Where else are people supposed to apply for? Wait lists are 18 months to two years, and I have been on the UPCCC wait list since I was 10 weeks pregnant to try and get a spot. Now there is no certainty I can get in anywhere else,” they said.
“My soon-to-be-born child is on other waitlists, but as an ANU staff member, and with the reputation of UPCCC, I now have to decide if I even can go back to work or put my child in sub-par childcare [and that’s] if they even get it to another centre on such short notice.”
The University Preschool and Child Care Centre (UPCCC) at ANU is one of four centres that won’t have its lease in the Acton Conservation Precinct renewed. Photo: Facebook.
The Parent Community of UPCCC has already been formed to protest the closures, and an online petition has been launched.
In an open letter to the ANU, the group urged the university to extend the lease by six months to allow for “meaningful community consultation” and to agree that only community-based, not-for-profit organisations should be considered for the university’s new centres.
“[We also request] ANU acknowledges that its decision to close UPCCC is brought about solely by reason of its failure to uphold its responsibilities to undertake building maintenance in a timely manner and to a reasonable standard,” the group wrote.
The group has also claimed that UPCCC had made “multiple direct requests” for remediation works on its building over the past five years, but said some were agreed to but “never commenced or completed”.
Maintenance has been an issue, with the UPCCC forced to close earlier this year after lead paint particles were found in the carpet.
The group pointed to the university’s expected operating deficit of $105.1 million for 2023 as a potential motivator for the decision.
“It is disappointing that ANU may wish to prioritise the monetisation of early childhood education over real quality and continuity of care for children in its community.”
Two purpose-built childcare facilities are under construction on campus and are expected to be complete by the time the community centres close.
Procurement is underway to find the operators of these new centres, which the community providers have been invited to participate in.
Mr Price assured existing families their children would be prioritised in the new facilities and that there would be enough spots for the “current level of demand” for childcare on campus.
“We will work to ensure ANU parents and families have access to the excellent services and facilities you expect in our childcare centres, both now and into the future.”
Region approached the ANU for further comment, including clarification around consultation with the centres and what families with children on wait lists for the community centres could expect.
A spokesperson reiterated that while the four community providers had offered “excellent care” for many years, the heritage status of their centres made maintenance difficult.
“Hail remediation work, which would require the temporary move of each Centre in due course, is an additional complication to the sustainable running of the buildings,” they said.
“The University has received feedback from staff, parents and guardians that the current buildings are not the ideal environment structurally for childcare centres.
“The University also gives urgent maintenance at childcare centres the highest priority.”
The spokesperson also rebuffed concerns about consultation.
“All centre directors and boards were aware of the end dates of their licences.”
This announcement does not impact the Goodstart Early Learning ANU Centre.
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