The Main Issues

• The original childcare proposal put to TAFE in 1984 and accepted as policy, pointed out that students had particular needs for childcare in terms of access and availability of services which recognised timetable changes, holiday and study needs and low incomes. The present arrangements at Sydney Institute are a very good example of accessible, affordable, quality care which meets these needs. The Parents do not want this to change.

• The Ultimo TAFE Children's Centre is stated to be in the top 2% of all Sydney centres, they provide a fundamental quality service that cannot be guaranteed elsewhere. Last year the closure of this centre would have affected 95 children and 85 families.

• The reason why this service has been successful is that Sydney Institute has direct control over the centre through its contract with Kindergarten Union. In a community based centre places cannot be allocated to a particular group, such as students of Sydney Institute or UTS or parents at ABC. In a community based centre places cannot be guaranteed. It is important that Sydney Institute does not enter into a contract with UTS Incorporated and remains independent.

• There are no guarantees for alternative convenient childcare. Most Parents use public transport and come from Central Station. Another 10 minutes down the road is a 30 minute walk with a small child. This is not convenient as the on-campus centre, as the majority of Parents use the centre between classes for breast-feeding, or to tend a sick child, or to visit their child. The centre encourages an "open door" policy.

• The closure of this centre will mean that management at Sydney Institute will be able to reduce the provision of childcare much more easily in the future. The on-campus childcare centre is licensed for 50 places. In the original proposal, only 30 places were going to be offered. The Parents are concerned about the erosion of childcare places.

• The Parents do not want any reduction in the current 50 subsidises on offer. The centre give priority to low income families. Last year 26 Parents who use the centre were single parents.

• Sydney Institute needs to recognise the Parents Group as a legimate student body within the campus. The Parents want to be consulted about any proposals or changes that affect the childcare centre. For example, any change in the configuration of the children's playground.

• The Parents believe that the closure of the on-campus childcare centre will seriously undermine Women's access to Sydney Institute. Childcare centres on-campus were established in TAFE about 5 years ago after more than 20 years of research to find out why women were not accessing TAFE. This research concluded that on-campus childcare was the most effective way of making TAFE more accessible to women. That is why on-campus childcare specifically caters and gives priority to students at Sydney Institute. If you make it too difficult for a woman to access childcare, for example inconvenient location, lack of public transport, poor quality childcare, women will not enroll in educational institutions and the demand will fall because it is purposely being discouraged.

• The Parents believe that Sydney Institute can increase childcare places without closing the on-campus childcare centre by subsidising places at McKee Street, across the road from the Institute. This is a community based childcare centre. UTS cannot allocate places. UTS must offer places subject to meeting access priority guidelines.