SDN Bluebell parent Tammy Purssell is one of many campaigning to keep the centre open. Photo: James Coleman.
For Belconnen mum Tammy Purssell, the search for childcare in the area has been nothing short of “exhausting” and “hopeless”.
“You go to centres you’d feel comfortable leaving your child at and you’re told you’re 200 on the waitlist,” she said.
“Then other places you walk into, you see no artwork on the walls, you see educators standing on the edge of the playground with all the kids on the other side – and you think, ‘My child isn’t going to thrive here’.”
Ms Purssell has spent the past six weeks weighing her options after hearing her daughter’s centre, SDN Bluebell, would close. The four-year-old has been there since she was 18 months old, and her younger sibling was due to start next year.
“I didn’t think I’d have to look for daycare again,” Ms Purssell said.
“I trust those educators, and I’ve seen how my daughter has thrived under them. The thought of having to find somewhere else … it’s heartbreaking.”
In August, families were informed that Bluebell’s lease at its College Street site would not be renewed, as the building was earmarked for sale and demolition to make way for apartments. But parents and educators haven’t gone down without a fight – and after weeks of lobbying, they’ve won a temporary reprieve.
The site’s owners have now agreed to extend Bluebell’s lease until the end of 2026.
For Ms Purssell and the centre’s 95 enrolled children, it’s a relief – but only in the short-term.
“Bluebell has been open for 30 years. It’s served generations of families,” she said.
“It needs to remain for the next 10 or 20 years of kids to be able to go there.”
The SDN Bluebell opened in 1996. Photo: James Coleman.
Bluebell’s operator, SDN Children’s Services, said it had spent months searching for another location in Belconnen, but with no luck. Parents say this points to a wider problem: Canberra’s not-for-profit centres are being squeezed out.
“There are things the ACT Government can do to help not-for-profits remain competitive,” Ms Purssell argued.
“They could open up ex-government buildings, offer lease reductions, or even place conditions on new providers. If a provider has had serious incidents reported, why should they automatically get approval to open another centre? Why not focus on supporting the ones already doing it right?”
She argued that early childhood education should be treated like public schooling, funded entirely by the government.
“We know the importance of education from five years old and up. Why shouldn’t that be the case for ages three to five?”
The ACT Greens have joined the parents’ push, moving a motion in the Legislative Assembly this week calling for the government to “do all it can to provide long-term certainty” for Bluebell and the wider sector.
“We’re calling on the government to investigate whether provisions under the current crown lease can keep the current SDN Bluebell site as an early childhood education and care centre long term,” MLA Laura Nuttall said.
“At the very least, the government must actively support SDN Bluebell in finding a new appropriate site if they cannot stay at their current site long-term, while ensuring there is still appropriate early childhood education and care throughout Belconnen.”
The Greens motion passed with minor amendments from Labor.
Her colleague Jo Clay said the district, with more than 10,000 residents and growing, is under considerable pressure.
“Belconnen has already lost a trusted not-for-profit Bruce Early Learning Centre earlier this year,” she said.
“We cannot afford to lose more … We need to make sure we’ve got the facilities for the families. I think there are lots of great ways to include early learning centres and other facilities as we are building our apartments and townhouses and our homes for people.”
SDN Bluebell parent Tammy Purssell with ACT Greens MLAs Laura Nuttall and Jo Clay. Photo: ACT Greens.
Since news of the closure broke, more than 580 people have signed an online petition calling on the government to step in. Parents have suggested relocating Bluebell to sites such as the old Cook Primary School or even vacant spaces at Westfield Belconnen.
Ms Purssell agreed the fight isn’t just about one site either.
“Certainly, a really good start is holding fast to the centres that are already doing it brilliantly and making sure that those centres like SDN Bluebell are able to continue to do what they do best,” Ms Purssell said.
