2IC Thatiana Mendes, educator Francess Abella, CELC director Alison Forster, educator Julie Smith and nominated supervisor Kim Wallace celebrate the opening of Weipa’s new OSHC. Photo: Supplied.
Working parents across Weipa are breathing a big sigh of relief as the community’s outside-of-school-hours care (OSHC) service officially opens its doors for vacation care.
After the service was closed about 12 months ago, parents of young children struggled with childcare in the community, with many having to give up full-time work hours for kids’ drop-offs and pick-ups.
The Diocese of Cairns began work to reopen the OSHC at St Joseph’s Parish School earlier this year and, after months of delays due to staffing issues, services recommenced last week with a full permanent staff team.
Mum-of-three Tida Cousins said the timing could not have been better, with wet season holiday boredom now a distant thought as she prepared to return to work after maternity leave.
“Having it open back up is a lifesaver,” she said.
“I think my work’s been pretty flexible, allowing me to finish work at three just to pick the kids up after school, so when it does start back up next year as an after-school care, I’ll be able to work longer hours.
“They’re loving it because they have all these activities; with all the rain, we can’t get out, and if mum and dad are too busy working, there’s nothing for them to do, so it’s good and it doesn’t make me feel so bad leaving them.”
Diocese of Cairns Catholic Early Learning and Care (CELC) director Alison Forster visited Weipa last week to help staff and children settle in.
“At the moment, we’ve got about 15 children attending, and that will vary over the holidays,” she said.
“We’ve got St Joseph’s children now, but it might be a bit busier next week when Western Cape is broken up as well.
“We’re pretty heavily booked in the last week of the holidays, particularly when teachers have their week back at school to prepare, but it’s been nice to have a smaller group to settle in.”
Ms Forster said CELC staff would visit Weipa often to ensure the staff felt like part of the early learning community.
“We’re going to have a regular routine of our support staff coming up to Weipa, much like they go and visit the centres around Cairns,” she said.
“We really want the Weipa ladies to be a part of our whole community, and we’ll be bringing them down to Cairns as well to meet with other CELC leaders; we don’t want them to feel like they’re isolated from the community.”
She said energy at the new OSHC had been great, with appreciative parents, motivated staff and a tightly-knit group of children.
