The Tasmanian Liberal Government is working to expand Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services across the State, as part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.
In meeting the 100 Day Plan, the first stage of a comprehensive property audit has been conducted to identify Government land that could be used for the expansion of ECEC services, as well as Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) and vacation care.
Minister for Education, Jo Palmer, said the Government understands the importance of access to quality childcare services.
“Our focus is on giving children the best possible start in life. That is why our Government is introducing a range of initiatives to address the childcare needs of Tasmanian families, and through the audit we have identified a number of sites that may have the potential to support such services,” Minister Palmer said.
The Government will now work with ECEC providers to further understand locational demand and capacity.
Minister Palmer said separate to this process, the Department of Education, Children and Young People has also engaged with all Government primary and district schools to understand their current OSHC services and identify which has a need for a new or expanded service.
Of the 80 Tasmanian schools that already offer OSHC, 17 have indicated they would consider increasing their services, while 30 schools that do not offer OSHC have indicated they would be interested in exploring the option.
“This has been great feedback to get from schools and school communities,” Minister Palmer said.
Following this extensive engagement, the Government will now work closely with service providers and schools to determine a final list of possible new ECEC and OSHC sites, with those selected to be the subject of an open expressions of interest process.
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