Hello, amazing community members! We are here to ask for your support in protecting the future of Betty Spears Child Care Centre in Tempe, NSW.

Who we are

Betty Spears Child Care Centre is a much-loved, independent, community-owned, not-for-profit long day care centre operating in Tempe since 1984.

Named in honour of Betty Spears OAM, a lifelong advocate for women’s rights, we were purpose-built next to Tempe Bus Depot to support local families and transport workers, including bus drivers. We have a unique and rich history!

Today, we continue Betty Spears’ legacy by providing high-quality and affordable care to 87 children and 74 families from Tempe and the inner west of Sydney. We employ 26 staff, some of whom have worked at the Centre for 20+ years, and we are managed by a dedicated volunteer parent committee. We are the hub of our community, who have fondly known us as “Betty’s” for 40 years.

The Issue

Betty’s sits on land adjacent to Tempe Bus Depot and we have leased this site from the State Government since 1984. Our very first lease was for 20 years, for $1 per year, so we believe the original intention was for us to stay on this site for decades to come.

We recently learned that Transport for NSW included our site in plans to re-develop Tempe Bus Depot for the Zero Emissions Bus Project from 2025. If these plans continue unchanged, our beloved community-owned, not-for-profit child care centre will be forced to close.

This would be devastating for us, our children and our community. We support sustainable public transport, but we believe it does not need to come at the expense of vital and affordable community-run childcare!

The good news is that we have asked the Minister for Transport, Jo Haylen MP, to look into this issue, and she has heard our plea! Transport for NSW are currently investigating alternative plans for the site which would allow us to stay open, and we are expecting a response by February 2024. 

What you can do now

We need your help now to let the Minister know how important Betty’s is to the community, so that Transport for NSW finds a solution that ensures Betty's can stay open long-term where we are.  

Therefore, please sign our petition and Stand with Betty’s!

We call on the NSW Minister for Transport and Transport for NSW to immediately and publicly guarantee that Betty Spears Child Care Centre can continue to operate long-term at its current location.

#SaveBettys #WeLoveBettys