Mobile child care services supporting communities in the Parkes Electorate where no other viable permanent option exists will share in more than $2 million worth of support from the Abbott Government, Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton, announced today.
The Government supports mobile child care providers servicing regional, remote, rural, disadvantaged and indigenous communities through its Budget Based Funded (BBF) programme.
Mr Coulton said the funding grants were designed to help mobile services with the cost of upgrading their vehicle, training staff and buying new educational equipment such as books, DVDs and toys.
Mr Coulton said the following services supporting Parkes Electorate communities would receive funding:
· $130,000 for Bogan Bush Mobile Resource Unit to help the communities of Martaguy, Quambone, Nyngan, Trangie, Mullengudgery, Collie, Tottenham, Collerina, the Marra, Hermidale, Girilambone, Warren and Mungery.
· $30,000 for Bourke & District Children’s Service for communities of Fords bridge, Bourke Public School, Enngonia, Darling Farms, Gumbooka, Louth, Trafalgar and Mercy Park.
· $30,000 for Brewarrina Mobile Resource Van- Goodooga, Weilmoringle, Carinda, Hebel, Brewarrina, Lightning Ridge and Grawin.
· $30,000 for Goonimoo Mobile Resource Van- Collarenebri, Grawin, Goodooga, Lightning Ridge, Goonimoo, Meradool and Pilliga.
· $130,000 for Lachlan Mobile Child Care Service- Tullibigeal, Euabalong, Lake Cargelligo and Condobolin.
· $30,000 for Tharawonga mobile Resource Unit- Crooble, North Star, Yallaroi and Yetman.
· $130,000 for Paroo Contact Children’s Mobile Avondale, Bremer, Hungerford, Nupunyah, Thargomindah, Tilpa, Wanaaring.
“The Abbott Government is committed to ensuring Australian families have access to affordable, flexible, high quality child care no matter where they live,” Mr Coulton said.
“These mobile services do a fantastic job supporting regional and remote communities where access to permanent child care services, let alone places, is not always available.
“They provide the Parkes Electorate with a broad range of services such as playgroups, vacation care, on-farm care, parenting support and toy and DVD-lending libraries.
“Having a reliable and safe vehicle will allow these services to focus their time, money and energy on high-quality education and care.
“This funding will also help services with the cost of training their staff to deal with the unique challenges that come with delivering high-quality child care on the road.”
A total of 44 mobile BBF services are being supported by the programme via funding grants of up to $130,000 depending on their size and need.
About one in five of these BBF mobile services primarily care for indigenous children.