Great Southern to share in more than $67,000 of childcare grants as part of pledge to help industry in crisis

The Great Southern region will share in more than $67,000 worth of grants for childcare education programs as part of a $200,000 pledge from regional governments to help an industry crisis. The grants will fund incentives, such as subsidised accommodation, relocation costs, travel and further training to attract childcare educators to regional WA. Director of Gnowangerup Family Support Association Inc. Denise Franco submitted applications for the grants because the industry is struggling to cope with the lack of educators. “The early childhood industry in rural areas is in crisis because it’s so difficult for people to come down to rural areas but once they’re here we need to retain their services,” Mrs Franco said. The Shire of Gnowangerup will receive a $32,130 travel subsidy for educators, the Shire of Kent gets $10,000 for a Central Great Southern Early Childhood Education and Care Conference while the Shire of Lake Grace is handed a $25,000 bonus for their Newdegate childcare service. Some educators in the Gnowangerup region must travel upward of 30 km for work and with surging fuel prices, it is becoming a financial burden. “Since fuel costs have increased, travel has become a problem for educators because people are coming from Broomehill and Katanning and surrounding areas, and it’s too costly.” Central Great Southern Early Childhood Education and Care Conference took place in Katanning on Saturday 24 to highlight the childcare industry and the issues faced by workers around the region. “People think that we are just babysitters but we are much more than that, we are educators. “The expo was for parents and educators to learn about our industry and hopefully we can attract new educators to the area and retain their services.” “We can never reach our full capacity out of our centres because we don’t have enough educators. “If we can employ more educators we can support more children in the community.”