A FURTHER 100 families are breathing a collective sigh of relief, with the ABC Learning child care waiting game finally over.
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ABC Orange Tree and Orange West were officially announced as two of the 23 centres that have been taken over by regional day care providers NutureOne yesterday.
“The ABC Teddy Bear has attended his last picnic at this centre and will be moving to his next party,” said NutureOne owner Geoff Hamilton.
Assuring there would be no immediate service or staff cutbacks, Mr Hamilton did indicate service policy changes in the future. All entitlements to centre staff will also be honoured.
While staff meetings about future service policy shifts will outline any change this week, manager of the former ABC Orange Tree Rowena Livingstone said initial dealings showed the move was positive.
“All the talks so far have been great,” Ms Livingstone said.“But the main thing is there is no more uncertainty ... and with our enrolments increasing day by day it shows the community is right behind us and realises the change is positive.”
NutureOne has been based in Wagga Wagga and has been providing care for families in regional areas for 15 years. Both Ms Livingstone and Mr Hamilton said the company’s successful history indicated childcare services would be improved in Orange.
“Because we’re regional and not multi-national, we understand what country areas need,” Mr Hamilton said.
The childcare centre previously known as ABC Orange Tree is called the Hill Street Children’s Centre and ABC Orange West will be known as the Albert Street Children’s Centre.
