Staff to be made redundant, parents left without after-school care

One Rockhampton mum is rallying the community to overturn a decision to cancel PCYC after-school care services which will leave long-term staff redundant and parents with nowhere to leave their children.

Rockhampton parent Emma O’Brien has started a petition to keep the service open, and has received nearly 500 signatures in one week. Supplied: Emma O'Brien

Community members are outraged after the announcement of the sudden closure of the PCYC after-school care services at the Rockhampton hub, leaving long-term staff redundant and parents with nowhere to leave their children.

Many children who attend Lakes Creek Primary School, The Hall State School, Lighthouse Christian College, Park Avenue State School and Glenmore State School will be left without care after hours, leaving parents with the difficult decision to either cut their work hours or change to a private school with paid after-school care services.

Rockhampton parent Emma O’Brien has started a petition to keep the service open, and has received nearly 500 signatures in one week.

Mrs O’Brien said the closure would have major ramifications for her and her son.

“I’m looking now to possibly change schools - which is a real detriment, as he’s thriving at (Lakes Creek Primary School),” she said.

“It’s not ideal working at home with a five year old after 3pm.

“I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do for schooling for him next year.
“To close this essential service beggars belief - it’s just a complete lack of transparency.”

Ms O’Brien said her son may be forced to change school due to the PCYC after-school care service’s closure. Supplied: Emma O'Brien

Phillip Kilby is another parent impacted by the closure.

He said he would be forced to miss out on weeks of work over the school holiday period as a result of the PCYC’s decision.

“For the school holidays, I won’t be able to work,” Mr Kilby said.

“I can’t imagine how many people are going to be impacted by this.

He has urged decision-makers to “please reconsider your stance”.
Rockhampton PCYC general manager Bev Book said the closure was due to low numbers.

“The majority of families who used the OSHC service at PCYC Rockhampton were casual or intermittent bookings,” she said. “Because of this, it is no longer financially viable to continue to operate this service and we made the difficult decision to close this service offering.”

Ms Book said the PCYC would still offer OSHC services from schools in the region and PCYC’s youth programs are unaffected by this closure.

“While many of the schools who used our service have their own on-site OSHC, we now know that some of our families have been left with no access to an alternative outside school hours activity, as their school does not have one,” she said.

“We acknowledge this presents a small number of families who used our OSHC service with a difficult situation and we will endeavour to reach out to these families before school commences.”

“We have been in contact with local MPs, and have reached out to the Department of Education, to arrange discussions regarding this as soon as possible.

“We acknowledge this presents a small number of families who used our OSHC service with a difficult situation and we will endeavour to reach out to these families before school commences.”The service is expected to cease on 24 January.

Ms Book also said up to five staff members would be affected by the closure.
“The OSHC service employed five staff including casual and part time positions,” she said.

“Where possible PCYC has worked with staff through a consultative process to find alternative positions within PCYC.
“After consultation this was not possible for two positions and PCYC has worked through this with those impacted.”

Rockhampton Regional Councillor Grant Mathers said it was “hard to understand how and why this decision was made considering the local PCYC were recently the recipients of $5 million in funding to secure a new premises”.

Ms Book said PCYC received an agreement for seed funding to support the potential development of a new PCYC facility in Rockhampton in April 2024.

“PCYC continues to seek land and funding options to make this a reality for the Rockhampton community,” she said.