Release type: Speech

Date:

Launch - Early learning and Care Centre, Yamanto

Ministers:

The Hon Kate Ellis MP
Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth

Acknowledgements

  • The Jagera (jag-er-a) people, traditional custodians of this land
  • Mr Geoff Wilson, the Qld Minister for Education and Training [to be confirmed]
  • Mr Shayne Neumann, Member for Blair
  • Adjunct Professor Mary Mahoney, President of C&K
  • Mel Comerford, C&K General Manager
  • Catherine Evans, Director of this centre
  • Other representatives from C&K
  • Teachers, staff, parents and children

Speech

Thank you. What a beautiful centre. And I am particularly impressed by that amazing fort in the playground. I am sure that will provide hours of fun and games for children and staff alike.

I am very excited to be here today to officially open the C&K Amberley Community Child Care Centre at its new Yamanto site.

The original C&K Community Preschool and Kindergarten opened its doors to the community in 1953 and I am absolutely thrilled that the Australian Government has been able to invest $1.6 million in this new facility, which will provide a stimulating and high quality environment for up to 75 local children each year.

I would also like to acknowledge the Queensland Government who provided the land for this beautiful facility.

This centre is one of 38 new Early Learning and Care Centres being funded by the Australian Government across the country, at a total cost of $114.5 million. And it is one of six new Queensland centres.

We are investing these funds because we know how important early childhood education and care is for local families and their children. We know child care is important for parents – enabling them to confidently participate in the workforce. But we also know that child care and early learning that helps give kids the best start to life.

The Australian Government has heeded realms of local and international evidence that shows that if you give children positive early learning experiences, they are more likely to go on to have happy, productive and healthy lives.

That is why I am so happy to see that this early learning and care centre is an integrated facility – providing both long day care and kindergarten. And of course it is co-located with the new Amberley Primary School.

This will ensure that children can seamlessly transition from one setting to the next and it will make it easier for mum and dad who won’t have to endure the dreaded double drop-off.

Importantly, children will get a sense of belonging to the Yamanto and Amberley communities. Starting school won’t seem so overwhelming for youngsters when they have been attending the Amberley child care centre, as they will be going to the same location each day.

Some children will start here in the child care centre as a baby or toddler and progress all the way through to the end of primary school on the one site.

I am confident that this new facility will be a great community resource and will be highly valued by the generations of local children and parents.

I know that the C&K Amberley family will help get the best outcomes possible for local children, so they can start school next door as happy and confident learners.

Thank you.

ENDS