On the 3rd December 2021, Karratha Early Learning notified it’s families;

Over the last few months, the Executive Team here at Early Learning Australia has provided hands on support with regular fly in and fly out stays. During this time, we have made several observations and received valued feedback from the community. This has assisted with the decision-making and reflective process to ensure we prove high quality education and care.

Karratha Early Learning will see some changes effective 20th December 2021 (14 days from now) these are as followed:

• Karratha Early Learning will cease care for all children under the age of 18 months old.
• The new classroom configurations are as follows:
  Current Nursery Room will become the Nyirdingu (Meaning last born, Ngarluma country) 18 months- 30 months
  Current Toddlers Room will become the Malhurda (Meaning middle born, Ngarluma country) from 30 Months
  Current Kindergarten room will become the Mararra (Meaning first born, Ngarluma country) from 30 Months
  At Karratha Early Learning we value each individual child’s unique learning journey and will place them in the learning space that will best support their development.
• Karratha Early Learning will no longer be providing meals for children. Families will be required to pack Breakfast, Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea for their child/ Children.
• Karratha Early Learning will no longer provide short day session for children.
• Karratha Early Learning will now be offering 9 hour and 10-hour sessions.
• Karratha Early Learning will be extending our opening hours by half an hour (6 am-
  6 pm).
• Karratha Early Learning will increase to $150 per day due to our extension of opening hours.
• Karratha Early Learning will increase the Holiday fee to $120 per day due to our extension of opening hours.
• Karratha Early Learning will be ceasing before and after school care services. Weare still offering Vacation care services.

There will be supportive documents for each dot point sent out to families over the coming week to ensure a smooth transition, clear understanding, and support to facilitate such changes. These will cover benefits for providing food, specific programs, continuous staffing benefits and more. The intention of these documents is to provide a holistic understanding to why these decisions have been made and the benefits these changes hold. It is through this we will be providing a higher quality service.

We understand these changes may have an impact for you and your family. Please know that these decisions have been made with the best intentions. There were many factors that were considered before making these decisions. As a company we are committed to supporting the quality education and care for children.

Karratha Early Learning have stated they received valued feedback from the community to inform the decisions they have made with 14 days notice to parents. This petition aims to inform Karratha Early Learning of the negative impact their decisions will have on many of its families.

After consultation with many families, we know these impacts to include, but not limited to:

• Significant risk to loss of income
• No other day care options available, with huge waitlists
• Potential loss of housing
• Additional financial burdens on families already struggling
• Families needing to relocate (moving away from Karratha)
• Loss of staffing at the actual centre due to changed day care arrangement
• At risk and vulnerable children (Priority 1) losing care arrangement 

The Parents and Community of Karratha have been concerned with the limited day care options and low standards within day care services in Karratha now for years with limited actions occurring from local and state government. 

Please sign this petition to help us call for immediate action.