On Friday we received the devastating news that Uniting Sarah’s Place Early Learning Childcare will be closing its doors in late September, in part due to projected financial stability, made worse by Covid-19. I understand that there are other Uniting Early Learning Childcares that are also being impacted and closed as a result.

As parents of this beautiful childcare, we are all extremely saddened by the news. The educators at Sarah's Place have raised many of our children and day in day out provide love and care for our kids. To have to uproot our children and find a new centre which provides the same level of education, care, nurture and support in an area where there is already limited supply will be near impossible.

Not only is this devastating to all the employees of these centres and the immediate families, it is also devastating to the broader Hornsby community. A 249 apartment block has recently been approved for development on Dural Street, located 277m from Sarah’s Place further increasing the demands for these essential services. 

Childcare waitlists are notorious for being huge, especially those with quality services. The loss of a centre within our community will further impact this. Not only will it impact our children who currently attend, lack of access to affordable and available childcare is the NUMBER ONE factor prohibiting women from returning back into workforce. This closure now means there are approximately 50 families who will be searching for childcare places within the broader Hornsby community, further limiting the spaces available at those remaining centres.

Please sign this petition and show your support for Sarah's Place to have this decision overturned.