EXCLUSIVE
Families fear they are facing ruin after a leading childcare center suddenly closed with just an hour’s notice, while other local nurseries have a three-year waiting list.
Working mothers, including nurses, teachers and aged care workers, were left devastated after Coast Childcare closed its doors without notice on Friday.
Chief executive Stephanie Wallace delivered the devastating news by email at 4pm, saying the Woy Woy center on the NSW Central Coast was no longer viable.
Aged support nurse Krystal Cleere, 36, is one of the 42 families affected and says she went into “total panic” when she received the news, nine hours after starting a work shift.
She fears she will have to leave her new job to take care of her children after the closure.
‘The first thing I thought was how are we going to be able to pay the rent and feed our children?’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I’m only a few months into a promotion at work and I’m worried I’ll lose my job and then what? Homeless?
Krystal Cleere’s 3-year-old daughter Kobie loved her daycare and now the mother of two is worried she won’t be able to put food on the table.
CEO Stephanie Wallace had been on the job for a week when she sent the email.
‘There are no places available (in alternative childcare centres). I have colleagues who have waited more than two years and still have no offer.
“I haven’t slept for three days after receiving that email and I’ve had panic attacks.”
Midwife Eleanor Ackland, 38, says the closure is devastating for her family.
“My partner is a doctor and I’m a midwife, so we rely heavily on daycare to be able to work,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘The shortage of doctors and midwives on the coast is well documented, so the closure of the center further confuses the issue.
‘Coast Community Connections’ handling of this is incredible. There has been no other communication with those affected other than the ambiguous and confusing email.
‘It’s hard to even understand the impact this will have on our family and all the other families too. For us it means a potential loss of income in a cost of living crisis.
‘It breaks my heart to think about the impact this will have on my son. She trusts and adores her educators, they are really important people in her life.’
Long Daycare run by nonprofit Coast Community Connections closed its doors to good families, completely surprising
Midwife Eleanor Ackland says it breaks her heart to think about the impact on her 4-year-old daughter.
The five-sentence email gave little explanation and filtered into some parents’ spam folders, meaning many only found out about the closure on social media.
The email said there were “unforeseen circumstances,” which apparently occurred overnight, and parents claimed the center was still accepting registrations 24 hours earlier.
It apologized for the short notice and acknowledged the inconvenience, but added: “Our service is no longer viable to continue operating Long Day Care at this time.”
The troubled nonprofit facility had previously changed its name on re-registration forms from Coast Childcare Long Day Care to Peninsula Before After and Vacation.
The short email sent by the daycare that has turned lives upside down
The center was abandoned Monday morning with the children’s personal belongings and artwork locked inside.
Brie, 46, a single mother of four, enrolled her youngest daughter four days a week so she could earn enough money to support her large family.
The domestic cleaner says the sudden news has turned her world upside down.
“I walked by there today and started crying,” she said.
‘If I don’t work, we will have difficulties with skyrocketing food prices. How will I do Christmas? How will we survive?
Ms Wallace tearfully informed staff of her job losses on Monday and admitted to Daily Mail Australia she had only been at work for nine days.
She said the board of directors had made the final decision to abruptly close the center and that it was up to her to implement the plan.
The NSW Department of Education said they did not run the service but were concerned about the closure and were investigating.
“The service was contacted by the NSW Early Childhood Care and Education Regulatory Authority today,” a spokesperson said.
‘The department is investigating the circumstances of the closure.
‘We understand the impact that service closures have on families.
“Anyone who has a concern or complaint about an early childhood education and care service can contact the department on 1800 619 113 or email ececd@det.nsw.edu.au.”