Families left reeling after they were blindsided by devastating childcare centre blow
EXCLUSIVE
Families fear financial ruin after a childcare center closed within an hour and other local nurseries face a three-year waiting list.
Working mothers, including nurses, teachers and aged care workers, are devastated after Coast Childcare closed its doors without warning on Friday.
Executive Officer Stephanie Wallace delivered the news by email at 4pm, saying the center at Woy Woy on the NSW Central Coast was no longer viable.
Aged care nurse Krystal Cleere, 36, is one of 42 families who had children at the children’s center and went into ‘complete panic’ when she received the news.
“My first thought was, how are we going to pay our rent and feed our kids?” she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I’m only a few months into a promotion at work and I’m afraid I’ll lose my job, and then what? Homelessness?
‘There are no places available (at alternative childcare centres). I have colleagues who have been waiting for more than two years and still don’t have an offer.
“I haven’t slept in three days since I got that email and I’ve been having panic attacks.”
Krystal Cleere’s daughter Kobie, 3, loved her daycare and now the mother of two fears she won’t be able to put food on the table.
Executive officer Stephanie Wallace had already been in office for a week when she sent the email
Midwife Eleanor Ackland, 38, was angry that so little attention was paid to the parents, leaving them with no chance to arrange alternative care.
“My partner is a doctor and I am a midwife, so we rely heavily on childcare to work,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘The shortage of doctors and midwives on the coast is well documented, so the closure of the center only compounds the problem.
“The handling of this by Coast Community Connections is unbelievable. There has been no communication with those involved other than the ambiguous and confusing email.
“It’s hard to even understand the impact this will have on our family and all the other families as well. For us it means a potential loss of income due to a cost of living crisis.
‘The impact this will have on my child breaks my heart to think about it. She trusts and adores her teachers, they are really important people in her life.”
The nonprofit Coast Community Connections’ Long Daycare closed its doors for good to families in a complete blindsiding
Midwife Eleanor Ackland says it breaks her heart to think of the impact on her four-year-old daughter
The five-sentence email provided little explanation as to why the daycare was closing, and some parents only learned about the closure through social media.
The email said there were ‘unforeseen circumstances’, which apparently happened overnight, with parents claiming the center was still taking registrations 24 hours earlier.
It apologized for the short notice and acknowledged the inconvenience, but added: ‘Our service is no longer viable at this time to continue operating the Long Day Shelter.’
The struggling nonprofit had previously changed its name on re-enrollment forms from Coast Childcare Long Day Care to Peninsula Before After and Vacation.
The short email from the daycare center that turned lives upside down
The center was abandoned Monday morning, with children’s personal belongings and artwork locked inside
Single mother-of-four Brie, 46, enrolled her youngest daughter four days a week while she worked as a housekeeper.
“I drove by today and burst into tears,” she said.
“If I don’t work, we will struggle enormously with food prices. How am I going to experience Christmas? How will we survive?’
Ms Wallace informed tearful staff of their job losses on Monday, admitting to Daily Mail Australia she had only been in the role for nine days.
She said the board of directors made the final decision to abruptly close the center and that she should have implemented the plan.
The NSW Department of Education did not run the agency but investigated what happened.
“The NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority contacted the agency today,” a spokesperson said.
‘The department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the closure.
“We understand the impact service closures have on families.
“Anyone who has a concern or complaint about an early childhood education and care service can contact the department on 1800 619 113 or email ececd@det.nsw.edu.au.”