A FRANKSTON early learning centre will remain open for the foreseeable future, despite its operators warning it was in danger of closing.
Just days after being told that the Windermere Early Learning Centre in Frankston could close, parents have been informed that the centre will remain open until the end of the year.
Parents with children enrolled at the ELC were blindsided on 30 June when Windermere emailed them to say that the closure of the centre was being considered. The email read that the ELC was “no longer sustainable”, and that a final decision would be announced within the week.
On 4 July, Windermere confirmed that the ELC would remain open until 22 December.
Sonja Herzberg has two children enrolled at the ELC, two-year-old Ruben and three-year-old Owen. She said that the possibility of having to move her children to a different centre in the middle of the year was daunting.
“Our children would have been left in the lurch. We would have to change, then change again in the new year. The impact would be lifelong,” she said. “We were reeling – there was no consultation with the parents, and there was no indication of financial distress. We would be really scrambling to find alternative daycares with one to two-year waitlists, and facing the impact of losing our employment.”
Herzberg said that the parents worked together to oppose the closure of the centre. “We banded together in a Whatsapp group, contacted MPs, the mayor, and Monash University which works with the centre,” she said. “Then we put together a long letter directed to the CEO and directors of Windermere, which we hand-delivered to its head office in Pakenham. We then had a good 15 minute meeting to discuss the impact of the closure.
“I’m proud to be part of such a strong community. We chose to be part of this centre because of the values it holds.”
The email sent to parents announcing the continued operation of the ELC read “over the next six months Windermere will continue to provide a safe and caring service for all children and staff, and as required will utilise such strategies as room blending to accommodate unanticipated changes to the centre utilisation levels where and if necessary.”
“Windermere will work to support Monash University in the identification of a future service provider to ensure ongoing and continued service delivery for the community and operations of the Frankston ELC Centre.”
Windermere was contacted for comment.