Boost for childcare

Cardinia Shire mayor Graeme Moore and Minister for Planning Matthew Guy chat with Jessica and Chloe at the opening of Henry Family Children's Centre. Pictures: DONNA OATES 120089_08

By BRIDGET SCOTT

PARENTS will now have greater choice when it comes to placing their little ones into childcare.
In order to cater for the growing population in Cardinia Shire, the council opened a brand new centre on Henry Road in Pakenham and extended the Bunyip Children’s Centre.
Planning Minister Matthew Guy officially opened both centres last Wednesday 14 May.
The centre in Pakenham is a lasting tribute to the late John Henry.
The Bunyip Children’s Centre, formerly the Bunyip Kindergarten, was extended to ensure the continuation of the three-year-old programs, maternal and child health services and a toy library.
It will also provide additional kinder space and space for playgroups, parent groups and specialist services.
Descendants of Mr Henry, Trish Archer and Jane D’Amico, came from Trawool and Mornington to be part of the opening of the new centre in Pakenham.
Henry Family Children’s Centre will offer kindergarten, maternal and child health and early childhood intervention services.
It will also include two kindergarten rooms, a community room available for hire and a natural outdoor play space, also available for hire.
In a first for Cardinia Shire, the centre will also provide families with local intervention services and specialist support including allied health services and speech therapy.
Ms D’Amico said, “It was absolutely wonderful” to see the centre opened.
“There couldn’t be a more fitting legacy,” she said.
Ms Archer was amazed at the decision to name the $4.3 million facility after her forefathers.
“They haven’t been involved in the district for so long,” she said.
Cardinia Shire mayor Graeme Moore said the opening of both centres signified a new era of opportunities for families in the Cardinia Shire.
“Children’s hubs like Henry Family Children’s Centre and Bunyip Children’s Centre are extremely important in Cardinia Shire,” he said.
“We have a huge population of young residents – babies and children are moving into and are born into our municipality at an astonishing rate. There is a baby born to a Cardinia Shire family every six hours and children develop and learn more in their first five years than at any other stage of life.”
Mr Guy said the upgraded centre in Bunyip will be of huge benefit to local families and meant space for an additional 28 kindergarten places.
“By providing more kindergarten places, this investment brings long-term benefits to local families, giving children the best possible preparation for school,” Mr Guy said.
The Bunyip kindergarten committee provided $12,000 towards the upgrade.
“The Napthine Government has invested $2.67 million in the Shire of Cardinia region through record investments in early childhood infrastructure,” Mr Guy said.
Cardinia Shire Council contributed over $2.2 million towards the Henry Family Children’s Centre, while $1.5 million came from the Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and $587,000 from the Victorian Government’s Department of Planning and Community Development.
The upgrade to the Bunyip Children’s Centre was partly due to a $300,000 investment by the Victorian Coalition Government.