Bass Coast childcare centres: Why enrolments are booming Corinella and Inverloch

Bass Coast childcare centres have seen a boom in enrolments over the past few months — and there’s a particular reason why.

Inverloch Childcare have a current waitlist of two years. Picture: Supplied

Enrolments at Bass Coast childcare centres are “through the roof” since COVID-19 hit, with many Melburnians flocking to the area for a seaside change.

Bass Valley Children’s Centre manager Sharyn Holmberg told The Bass Coast News she has seen a huge increase of numbers in the past few months.

“The amount of new enrolments has just gone through the roof since COVID-19 hit,” she said.

“It’s definitely due to more families moving down this way trying to get out of Melbourne.”

The centre takes children from Corinella, Coronet Bay, San Remo and Grantville, with some from Phillip Island and Loch too.

Before the pandemic started in March 2020, the Corinella-based childcare centre had an occupancy of 80 children per day but this increased to 100 children per day by October.

“In March our numbers were low for three to four weeks and then it kicked back up again,” Ms Holmberg said.

“The increased numbers show the growth of the area.”

The centre hired seven new educators last November to keep up with the demand.

Kirby Leary, who moved to Venus Bay around two weeks ago, said she has been trying to get her one-year old child into Inverloch Childcare but the waitlist is “huge”.

With no other option close by, she said she will most likely enrol her child at a centre in Wonthaggi.

“It’s not too stressful for me personally as I am only trying to get care for one day per week,” she said.

“If I was needing full-time care it would be really difficult, as a round trip to Wonthaggi daily would be too much.”

Inverloch Childcare is currently being extended to meet the growing needs of the community, with the facility recently hiring more early childhood teachers.

Angela Webster, who works at the centre, said the new kindergarten rooms should ease waitlist times.

“We are finding it really hard to fit everyone in with all their different needs,” she said.

“But there will be space for another 44 children so that means 104 in total,” Ms Webster said.

Ms Webster said even though people have been on their waitlist for two years, there’s been an increase in interest over the past 12 months.

“We have always been busy but we have noticed in the last year that a lot of young families are moving to the area,” she said.

“They ring ahead to see if they can enrol their kids.”.

Inverloch Childcare take children from Inverloch, Cape Woolamai, San Remo, Wonthaggi, Leongatha and Korumburra.

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