Australian Government - MyChild.gov.auCFK Questions and Answers
Information for families and employees
What is the latest news on centre closures?
Following the appointment of the Receivers, Ferrier Hodgson in November 2008,
the CFK child care centres which are all in NSW were offered for sale.
It is understood this process is ongoing but there are a number of centres that
have or will close as a result of no commercial offers having been received.
The CFK centres at Englorie Park and Leumeah were closed on 13 February 2009.
CFK ceased to operate centres at Chain Valley Bay, Freemans Reach and North
Richmond on 13 February 2009 but it is understood these centres continue to be
operated by other providers.
CFK also ceased to operate a centre at Macquarie Fields on 6 March 2009 that was
taken over by the landlord.
The Receivers have subsequently advised that Beecroft was to close on 13 March
2009 and that:
• Blackbutt and Toongabbie are expected to close on 1 April 2009; and
• Leura is expected to close on 2 April 2009.
Additionally, notice has been received that a further seven CFK centres at
Kellyville North, Castle Hill, Brookvale, Paddington, Engadine, West Pennant
Hills and Wyong, will close on
17 April 2009.
Which CFK centres will continue to operate?
At this time the Government understands the CFK child care centres at the following locations are being sold:
- Balgowlah
- Broadway
- Brookvale North
- Caves Beach
- Collaroy
- Crows Nest
- Eastlakes
- Frenches Forest
- Gorokan West
- Green Point
- Kellyville
- Kiama
- Mt Annan
- Narraweena
- North Rockdale
- Sydney CBD
- Terriga
- Top Ryde
- Waitara
- Wahroonga
- Westmead
Will the Government provide financial assistance to keep CFK child care centres open?
The Australian Government does not generally provide financial assistance for
particular businesses to, for example, enhance their sale price or protect them
from insolvency.
The Government provided conditional funding to the ABC Learning Receiver to
ensure an orderly transition of unprofitable ABC child care centres to
alternative arrangements.
This decision was made in the context of the significant market presence in Long
Day Care of ABC Learning, the extensive geographic coverage of the company and
the potential major social and economic disruption which may have resulted if
hundreds of these centres suddenly closed.
ABC is, by any measure, an exceptional case. It is the biggest private child
care provider in this country, is relied on by tens of thousands of families
daily and provides care to more than 100,000 Australian children.
My child is in one of the CFK centres that will close – what does this mean for me?
In these circumstances, the Australian Government will assist the Receivers to identify alternative child care solutions for families and their children in nearby centres, where possible.
I am a CFK centre employee – what does this mean for me?
If you have any questions about the management and operation of CFK centres, please contact the Receivers, Ferrier Hodgson on (02) 9286 9999 or email cfk@fh.com.au.
Where can I find information on workplace relations matters?
If you have any questions about your pay, working conditions or other workplace
relations matters, please contact the Workplace Information Line on 1300 363 264
between 8:00am to 7:00pm (AEDT), or visit the
Workplace Authority website at
workplaceauthority.gov.au.
How will the government ensure adequate staffing in these centres?
The Australian Government has a child care quality assurance and accreditation
process to ensure all child care services deliver quality care. This process
will continue to apply to all child care centres in Australia, including
ABC
Learning child care centres.
The National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) administers the child care
quality assurance systems on behalf of the Australian Government. This system
builds on and complements state and territory government licensing legislation
which generally provides a minimum standard of operation for all child care
services.
These regulations cover a range of factors including space, equipment, the
number and ages of children.
Where can I find more information about child care centres in my area?
You can contact the Child Care Access Hotline on 1800 670 305 between 8am and
9pm (AEDT) Monday through to Friday.
You can also search the mychild.gov.au database for a list of child care
services in your local area.
If I move to a new centre, can I still access my child care payments?
Yes, as long as the centre is Child Care Benefit approved, families will still
be eligible to receive their
Child Care Benefit and Child Care Tax Rebate
payments.
If you want to change providers, please contact your new child care provider and
the Family Assistance Office, who will let you know what you need to do.
Where can I find more information about my child care payments?
You can contact the Family Assistance Office (FAO) on 13 61 50. The FAO operates
between 8am and 8pm
(local time) Monday to Friday.
For information on the types of financial assistance available to help cover the
cost of your child care please visit mychild.gov.au.
What if I have children on a waiting list at a CFK child care centre? Will l lose my bond if I take my child out of a CFK Centre? Do l need to provide notice if l obtain another position elsewhere?
If you have any financial questions, or questions relating to the day to day operation of your CFK child care centre, please contact your CFK child care centre Director.
If a CFK child care centre has limited staff and some leave, what will happen? Will new staff be found or will the centre be forced to close because of the staff/child ratio?
State and territory governments are responsible for licensing and regulation which includes setting and monitoring of staff/child ratios. Strict staff/child ratios for child care centres continue to apply to CFK centres.
Where can I find the latest information on CFK centres?
For regular updates on CFK centres, please visit the Childcare Centres Limited
website at www.cfk.com.au.
The Receivers, Ferrier Hodgson also provides regular updates through their
website at www.ferrierhodgson.com.