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New approach in the Wheatbelt to secure childcare future

Childcare services in the Wheatbelt region will now be stronger and more sustainable with an investment of $1.4 million, benefiting families and regional businesses.

The Regional Community Child Care Development Fund, and Lotterywest today announced joint funding to support the implementation of the Regional Early Education and Development Inc (REED) organisation, which will enable community-based centres to merge under a single banner.

Good quality childcare services are important for children’s development, their families, and for the economic and social fabric of communities in the Wheatbelt region. For a decade, the sustainability of services in the Wheatbelt region has been a challenge, despite Commonwealth, State and local government financial support.

The investment will ensure childcare services:

  • Continue to be provided across the Wheatbelt region for the benefit of children and their families, and local businesses; and
  • Are sustainable and can continue to deliver high-quality programs which contribute to children’s development in their critical early years.

Supporting the mergers will be REED’s nine-member board, which brings high-level expertise to its governance role. A central management structure based in Narrogin will free individual management committees from complex governance and legal responsibilities while retaining quality services for children and families in their communities.

The Regional Community Child Care Development Fund is funded by Royalties for Regions.