26 More ABC Childcare Centres to Close

Twenty six more ABC Learning childcare centres will be forced to close as new operators can’t be located to take them on, according to the Australian Government.

This is in addition to the fifty five centres closed last year after the nation’s largest childcare group went into receivership with debt of over $1.5 billion.

The government stepped in with more than $56 million in taxpayers’ money to keep over 250 unviable centres, referred to as the ABC2 Group, operating, while the receivers set about finding new operators for them.

Child Care Minister Kate Ellis told parliament on Tuesday that twenty six centres will have to close as no operators could be found for them.

“I assure the House (of Representatives) that everything was done to exhaust every opportunity to keep these centres going,” she said, adding that the government was working with families to find alternative care.

The centres that will be closed have yet to be named.

While childcare as an industry grows almost out of control, could it be that a return to smaller family day care environments are the future of child care in Australia?