Childcare help ‘ripped away’ from Walgett, Fairfield families after government ditches pilot scheme

The Minns government has been slammed as a ‘Grinch’ for quietly discarding a successful childcare program two days before Christmas. One mum says it “felt like the end of the world”.

Parents like Western Sydney mum Ridae Fatima who were able to access and afford childcare through the ‘Supporting Families into Early Childhood Education’ pilot program have been left “devastated” by the decision to scrap it. Picture: Richard Dobson

Despite promising universal childcare for all NSW children before 2030, the Minns government has quietly axed a program giving hundreds of vulnerable kids access to preschool, with program leaders describing the Premier as a Christmas “Grinch.”

The ‘Supporting Families into Early Childhood Education’ (SFiECE) scheme, run in southwest Sydney by the Uniting Church’s social services arm, has put nearly 200 Fairfield kids from low income, migrant and Aboriginal backgrounds into early education they would otherwise miss out on.

The program has also sent hundreds of children from regional NSW into childcare over two years.

But government funding for the pilot program expires on December 23 and won’t be renewed despite its successes, leaving service providers “bewildered”.

Fairfield co-ordinator Susie Wilkins said dumping the program, which acts as a “linchpin” for families to help them with paperwork, accessing subsidies and overcoming financial and non-financial barriers to preschool, is a “completely ludicrous” move that flies in the face of the Minns government’s rhetoric.

Uniting NSW/ACT has described Premier Chris Minns as a “Grinch” for scrapping the pilot program. Picture: Rey Del Rio / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

“The contract was always going to cease at the end of December, but we were incredibly hopeful that it would be continued, particularly because of the outcomes that we were demonstrating,” she said.

“We had expected that it was a no-brainer to continue the funding.

“Without us, there’s no way that these kids would be ready for that transition to school.”

In his budget-in-reply speech prior to the state election, then-Opposition leader Chris Minns said a government he led would bring universal childcare to four-year-olds “well before” then-Premier Dominic Perrottet’s 2030 timeline.

“Victoria can deliver its preschool goals by 2025. Why do we have to wait until 2030?” he said at the time.

Ms Wilkins appealed to the Minns government to rethink the decision to end the pilot, and commit to ongoing funding.

In Fairfield alone, the scheme has ushered 176 families into early learning over the last two years. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

“The sort of work that we do absolutely changes the trajectory of a child’s life,” she said.

“Every child matters; every child in NSW has a right to the best possible start in life, and we know that the government knows that too.”

In Walgett, where the local provider tripled the program’s target of 70 early childhood education and care placements, SFiECE worker Joanne Flick said the termination will wear away the trust built up between families and services.

“For our communities it’s attachment and then abandonment,” she said.

“To now feel that they’ve been ripped away from that support, I don’t know what the government’s thinking. They’ve left us with nothing.”

In the isolated rural community of Walgett, the program has helped families overcome geographic barriers to childcare as well as social ones, organisers say. Picture: Daily Telegraph / Monique Harmer

Bass Hill mum of two and Pakistani refugee Ridae Fatima said the program’s cancellation has been “devastating”.

“It was such a heartbreak for me, it felt like the end of the world,” she said.

Before Uniting’s SFiECE program “came like a miracle into my life”, paying for childcare meant selling all her furniture and taking on crippling debt.

As a call centre worker on a protection visa which renders her ineligible for the childcare subsidy, Ms Fatima’s take-home pay could not cover the $1500 per week her daughters Aaira, three and Emama, two, incurred in fees until Uniting stepped in to cover three days’ worth of care.

Mum Ridae Fatima with her daughters Emama Ali Rizvi and Aaira Fatima, at their home in Bass Hill. Picture: Richard Dobson

“It hurts people like us, who actually want to go out and work, who want to pay our taxes and want to give our children a good education,” she said.

“This is what really frustrates me, I work hard and get no support from the government at all … I just want my girls to have a bright future.”

The NSW Department of Education could not confirm the final cost of the scheme, but a spokeswoman said the families involved would be referred to or transitioned into other services.

“As it was a pilot, we now need to understand the successes, the challenges and use these leanings to inform our programs moving forward,” the spokeswoman said.

Education Minister Prue Car said the program had “mixed results” and that the government has a “comprehensive package” of childcare measures including fee relief for preschool and long day care.

“The lessons from the pilot, which was funded until December, will help us plan services to help all children across the state,” she said.

“Ultimately the results were mixed because there was a lack of childcare places in some areas.”