Kangaroo Island, Kingston and Crystal Brook rally for help to fill childcare and OSHC gap, which is holding back regional growth

Some kids are out on the farm working with their parents because there’s a lack of childcare – and locals say it’s holding back growth.

A serious shortfall of childcare and after-school-care services must be fixed to help parents get back to work and businesses plug gaps in their workforce, regional groups say.

They are also worried the shortage is hampering children’s ability to socialise and meet their development potential – and stopping towns from attracting new residents.

Among the towns fighting for funding for childcare and after-school-hours centres are Parndana, Kingston SE and Crystal Brook.

Stephanie Wurst, who lost her Stokes Bay home during the 2019-20 Kangaroo Island fires, is leading the campaign to plug the shortfall in the island’s centre and western end.

She has driven 45 minutes each way to drop her children off to childcare in Kingscote because there is no local service – but that option is not possible for most families.

The island last year won $1.8m federal funding for a new childcare centre in Parndana, but has just missed out on a further $975,000 from the federal Black Summer Bushfire Recovery fund to add space for an out-of-school-hours care (OSHC) centre.

“At the moment, it’s really limiting for any families to have two parents that can work, study or volunteer,” Mrs Wurst said.

“Children are quite often working out on the farm with their parents because there’s no alternative care.”

Stokes Bay’s Stephanie Wurst with her husband Tom and children Jack, 10, Georgia, 7 and Charlotte, 4. Picture: Supplied

Kingston Council also missed out on $1.6m from the Black Summer fund, for a new centre.

Kingston Early Learning and Child Care Services Working Group chairwoman Kirsty Starling said the money would have paid for a purpose-built centre combining a kindergarten, childcare and OSHC.

There is only space for up to 14 children at the town’s existing childcare service, and there’s a waiting list of 48.

Mrs Starling said a business survey found one of the biggest hurdles to hiring staff was the lack of childcare.

“We’re a rural and remote community and have vulnerable children that can’t access early learning, and we know that’s having a detrimental impact to their lives,” she said.

In Crystal Brook, Tamara Wilson is part of a group working on a cost-benefit analysis for a proposed $1.1m centre, with space for 50 children, plus after-school care.

The teacher wants to return to permanent work but can take on only relief roles when family members can care for her three children.

“We’re not going to attract anyone new to the region who doesn’t have family connections, without a childcare facility,” Mrs Wilson said.

State Education Minister John Gardner said the government was helping find community childcare solutions – including funding business cases for new centres.

Labor’s education spokesman Blair Boyer said his party’s planned royal commission into childcare and OSHC would consider how they could be better delivered.

Acting federal Education Minister Stuart Robert said the government’s Community Child Care Fund provided $6.7m to services in SA in June 2021.

Federal Labor’s early childhood education spokeswoman Amanda Rishworth said if elected, her party would ensure the fund properly supported regional early learning services.

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