MERREDIN AND DISTRICTS CHILDCARE JOINS WHEATBELT REGIONAL EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT INC.

Merredin and Districts Childcare and Playschool (MADCAPS) have become the next Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Centre to join the Regional Early Education and Development Inc (REED).

This addition follows on from the Childcare Centre in Corrigin, which joined the not- for-profit service that provides high quality ECEC services for Wheatbelt families in June 2019.

REED is creating a new cluster model of management to provide services across the Wheatbelt, working to reduce the burden on local Committees and Shires to provide these vital community services.

MADCAPS are located on Kitchener Road in Merredin, and offers full time care for up to 28 children. This popular Centre has been operating for 31 years and currently employs 11 staff. The Centre will now be known as REED – Merredin.

Chairperson of MADCAPS Rebecca Celenza, who has been on the parent run Childcare Committee for 8 years said, ‘what a journey it has been to get to this point for our Centre, and to be able to hand over our Centre to a larger and more well re- sourced and knowledgeable not-for-profit entity that is REED is a great achievement. We are excited to be leaving the operating of our Centre in REED’s very capable hands’.

Officially launched by Minister Simone McGurk MLA, Minister for Child Protection; Women’s Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services in Narrogin in March 2018, REED is funded in the establishment phase by the State Government and Lotterywest.

Community Services Minister Simone McGurk said childcare was not just vitally im- portant for early childhood education and workforce participation – it also created jobs.“Delivering quality and reliable childcare in the regions is particularly challeng- ing, which is why the REED cluster model is so important,” Minister McGurk said.

“It aims to offer community-based childcare centres a sustainable way forward, so I’m delighted to see another centre coming on board.”

Over the next 18 months, additional Wheatbelt ECEC services in towns such as Narembeen, Hyden and Brookton are expected to merge with REED.

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Media Enquiries:

Helen Creed
REED Board Chair
0400 175 874

helen.creed@reedwa.org.au