Four community early education and care centres at the Australian National University have been told their licences will end in six months because the heritage-listed buildings are too difficult to maintain.
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Directors of Acton Early Childhood Centre, Cubby House on Campus, University Preschool and Child Care Centre and Heritage Early Childhood Centre were given the news on Wednesday.
It means that the community-run early education centres could close and staff could lose their jobs if the providers are unable to find another premise for 2025.
The centres have been plagued by problems with water damage, mould, flaking lead paint and lead dust. The four centres have a combined capacity of 221 places.
An Australian National University spokesman said two purpose-built centres would be built on the campus to open from early 2025 that would have enough places to meet current demand.
"Currently, four of the childcare centres on our campus are located in heritage-listed buildings requiring high levels of maintenance and remedial work due to the age of the buildings," the spokesman said.
"This has sometimes disrupted the provision of childcare for our community.
"The childcare centres' licences to operate in these heritage-listed buildings expire in January 2025. We want to use this moment to invest in enhancing the childcare facilities on our campus so they are brand new and purpose-built."
The spokesman said the university was in discussions with the four providers in the heritage buildings and they would be invited to be part of a procurement process for the new facilities.
"This process will open in July and details will be shared with all four operators," the spokesman said.
"Childcare services will continue to be provided on campus during the procurement process, ensuring there is no disruption to the care and education children from across the ANU community receive."
On Thursday evening the centres had arranged meetings with their committees. The centre directors all declined to comment.
Some of the centres have been stalwarts of the university's Acton campus. The University Preschool and Childcare Centre was founded in 1969 by ANU staff at Old Lennox House.
The Heritage Early Childhood Centre was established as a parent-run childcare service before becoming staffed by professional educators in 1989.
Acton Early Childcare Centre has been operating for more than 35 years.
Cubby House on Campus opened in 2016 after transitioning from a family day care arrangement to centre-base care.
Sarah Lansdown
Sarah covers all stages of education in the capital, from early childhood to higher education. Previously she was a general news reporter at The Advocate in North West Tasmania. She was named Best New Journalist at the 2019 Tasmanian Media Awards for a series on paramedic shortages. Email: sarah.lansdown@canberratimes.com.au
Sarah covers all stages of education in the capital, from early childhood to higher education. Previously she was a general news reporter at The Advocate in North West Tasmania. She was named Best New Journalist at the 2019 Tasmanian Media Awards for a series on paramedic shortages. Email: sarah.lansdown@canberratimes.com.au
