TOYS, teddies, dolls and parents have rallied on the Parliament House steps to save occasional childcare.
On 18 August they drew attention to the funding crisis surrounding the Take a Break program, which has left parents facing fee hikes or service cuts.
This year’s State Budget had no cash for Take a Break and the government said it would only chip in its share if the Federal Government re-instated its funding which was cut last year.
As it stands, Take a Break will cease on 31 December. Almost all centres that offer the program are non-profit.
The program has been running in Victoria for 15 years and provides flexible childcare for children aged up to six years old.
More than 220 centres offer the occasional care, including Emerald Community House.
The Community Child Care Association said families relied on the service for respite, socialisation and community engagement.
Opposition spokeswoman Jenny Mikakos told the rally that centres could also lose indemnity insurance in the funding cuts.
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