Childcare chain plunged into voluntary administration
Dozens of childcare centres are on a precipice after the Edge Early Learning chain entered voluntary administration on Wednesday.
The provider oversees almost 70 national centres, including 15 in Brisbane and 42 across Queensland.
In a statement published online , Edge Early Learning confirmed KordaMentha had been appointed to oversee the embattled childcare provider.
The chain also assured parents it was “continuing to operate all centres on a business-as-usual basis” during the administration process, which it estimated would take several weeks.
“Our immediate focus is to maintain the safe and ongoing operation of each centre while this urgent review is undertaken,” a statement said.
Edge Early Learning advised families there would be no change to fees.
Excursions and activities would remain unaffected wherever possible, but the provider promised to contact families if centres were impacted by the administration.
Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May urged the Commonwealth to provide an alternative for families if the childcare centre chain collapsed.
“I can’t imagine seeing the headlines today and learning the early learning centre you rely on could be closing imminently,” Hodgins-May said.
“If a primary or secondary school closed tomorrow, governments would have a plan to make sure every student could continue their education. Why should early learning be any different?”
On July 31, the chain requested a rent abatement from Arena , the company that owns properties leased by 31 Edge Early Learning centres. The childcare provider later defaulted on rent.
On Wednesday, Arena said it was prepared to act “ proactively and constructively ” with the administrator.
Also in July, one of the operator’s South Australian centres was forced to close after a toddler suffered a serious allergic reaction to a meal prepared by staff .
The centre told Nine meatballs used in the meal had been sourced from a different supplier, and workers had not realised the stand-in contained soy.
5News aggregated this summary from the outlet’s public feed. The full article, with all the context, is on www.smh.com.au — the content belongs to Sydney Morning Herald - National.
