By Bonny Burrows
Concerned parents have demanded Cardinia Shire Council halt its tender process for the management of early years’ education until community consultation occurs.
Expressions of interest are now open for the management of 14 “packaged” kindergartens across the shire, along with Hollins, Pakenham Springs, Lakeside, Henry Family and Gum Scrub Creek children’s centres for a period of five years.
However, parents at the affected centres say they have been left in the dark with no chance for input and fear the end of their kindergartens as they know it.
Ally Seebeck, whose daughter attends Nar Nar Goon Kindergarten – part of the 14 for one package, fears the centre will lose its “community and country feel”.
With the possibility of a change of management and staff, Ms Seebeck is also concerned about the impact this would have on transition from pre-school to kindergarten.
She questioned how parents could make informed decisions on where to send their children without knowing the teachers or curriculum and queried how council could act on behalf of the community without any consultation.
“I guess what worries me is that the kinder runs really well at the moment, and that is dependent on the values of management and the staff there,” Ms Seebeck said.
Henry Family Children’s Centre parent Melissa Ogden shares similar concerns; however her biggest gripe is not being consulted by council.
A mother of a child attending four-year-old kindergarten and another scheduled to commence next year, Ms Ogden said early years’ education had no place for politics.
A lack of information, and “so much secrecy” around the tender process, doesn’t sit right with the mother who has written to council to demand answers.
“I would say my main frustrations and concerns are we are not being consulted in a process that immediately affects us,” Ms Ogden said.
She said parents had the right to know the fees, schedule and programming of kindergarten classes well in advance, so they could best decide if it suited their child’s needs.
“I feel as though someone’s made a decision for me, which I don’t think is fair,” Ms Ogden said.
She slammed council’s lack of consultation as “unethical”.
“The current situation is not transparent, there isn’t an open communication or sharing of knowledge and the needs of others have not been considered through an appropriate process of community engagement by the council,” Ms Ogden said.
With applications for tender closing 16 May, Ms Ogden urged council to cease any progression.
“I’d like them to halt the tender process until proper consultation has occurred with the public. We need the ability to respond in an adequate manor, which we currently don’t have,” she said.
Cardinia Shire Council general manager of Community Wellbeing, Jenny Scicluna, said council was acting within State Government guidelines which empowers council to review management to ensure providers were meeting community needs.
“No matter which early years manager is appointed, parents will continue to have a say and input into the functions of the kinder as is the current arrangement,” Ms Scicluna said.
She said current providers could “certainly” reapply for management, while arrangements for current staff members were a matter of Kinders Together as the employer.
