Coorong District Council is Addressing Lack of Childcare Across The District

Lack of childcare within the Coorong region is being addressed though a feasibility report commissioned by the Coorong District Council.

Residents and ratepayers across the Coorong district are being invited to contribute to the report and have their say on childcare and early education services.

Coorong District Council’s Mayor Paul Simmons stated, “The lack of childcare options across the Coorong district means that regional families are missing out, local businesses are struggling, and local economies are impacted.”

“Financial security is particularly critical during these current drought conditions, with many farming families looking to seek employment beyond the farm,” Mayor Paul Simmons added.

A report conducted by the Mitchell Institute for Education and Health Policy at Victoria University in 2022 highlighted the Coorong district as having an insufficient number of childcare vacancies to accommodate the current and projected growth of children aged under 4 years.

This, in addition to the Royal Commission Report into Early Childhood Education and Care, provides a clear idea about the best way to deliver quality preschool programs to 3 and 4 year-olds, and how families can be supported in the first 1,000 days of their child’s life. It also made recommendations on how to improve access to out of school hours care, and the flow-on benefits of this for increasing workforce participation by parents.

Having a lack of childcare services is holding communities back, and Coorong District Council is supporting the development of a feasibility report, which will highlight the shortages in childcare and early education and provide recommendations on addressing the gaps and needs of our rural communities.

“Several of our townships are expected to continue growing over the next decade, and childcare availability will be one of the key factors for families when making the decision to move to our district – it’s important that we accommodate and support this growth,” says Mayor Paul Simmons.

Having been identified as a childcare desert and acknowledging the impacts this has on children, families and communities, Coorong District Council has engaged Community Early Learning Australia (CELA) to undertake the feasibility study which is scheduled for completion in July 2025.

The community is invited to provide input which will help guide Council on addressing the challenges associated with access to childcare.

The report will capture the communities’ concerns, highlight the challenges and highlight viable solutions for the community.

Once completed, the report will act as an advocacy piece and will provide the Council with data and evidence to support and address the childcare gaps across the district.

Community members are invited to have their say and provide input until 5pm on Friday, 30 May 2025 through any of the following means:

In person at a drop-in community session:

• Complete an online feedback form
• Via email (council@coorong.sa.gov.au)
• By post (PO Box 399, Tailem Bend SA 5260)
• In person at any Council office during normal hours (find office locations here)

For more information, please contact Senior Community & Tourism Development Officer, Kellie Jaensch on 1300 785 277 or email council@coorong.sa.gov.au.

-ENDS-

Contact:

Bridget Mather

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | COORONG DISTRICT COUNCIL

Phone: 1300 785 277 | E: council@coorong.sa.gov.au