State Member for the Electorate of Cessnock, Clayton Barr, MP is pleased to announce Cessnock Multipurpose Children’s Centre Ltd have been awarded $3,143,747 (excluding GST) under the Major Capital Works Fund 2022-23 Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program.
The program aims to support the creation of additional preschool places in areas of need and demand across the state. Under the Major Works Capital Fund, eligible applicants can apply for funding to create additional preschool places through new builds, extensions, and renovations of centre-based preschool and not-for-profit long day care services running a preschool program.
The Cessnock Multipurpose Children’s Centre Ltd were awarded the funding for a new build that will deliver 44 new licensed places for preschool aged children. Cessnock Multipurpose Children’s Centre (CMCC) is a community based and not-for-profit organisation which has been operating for 60 years in the Cessnock area. The centre is also the only provider of Long Day Care, Preschool, Occasional Care, OOSH and vacation care in the area.
The construction of a preschool building will service the rapidly growing Cessnock Local Government Area. The new build will be located on land at the corner of Wollombi Road and Lochinvar Street, Bellbird Heights which is owned by CMCC.
The Cessnock Multipurpose Children’s Centre currently employees over 100 people and with the construction of the preschool that number will grow.
The Cessnock Electorate is classified as a low socio-economic region. According to the 2021 Census, the Cessnock Electorate rated 89 out of 93 State Electorates for “People with highest level of school completed Year 12” which resulted in the electorate being given the low socio-economic score.
Quotes attributable to Clayton Barr MP, State Member for the Electorate of Cessnock:
“With the growing population in the Cessnock City LGA, the news of funding for a new preschool to service the area is fantastic.”
“For our children to thrive, we need to be investing in education, starting at very early childhood 0 to 5 years, that’s when most of the really important and fundamental brain development takes place, this grant provides for an additional 44 preschool places which our community is desperately in need of.”
“The importance of early childhood education cannot be underestimated; it provides the foundation of education as children progress throughout their school careers. Investing in education is an investment in the future of our children.”
Quotes attributable to Barbara Rodham, Chair of Cessnock Multipurpose Children’s Centre:
“As the long-time Chair of Cessnock Multipurpose Children’s Centre, I am thrilled to receive this significant grant from the NSW Department of Education.”
“We are community based and have been providing quality education and care to the families of Cessnock for over 60 years and to be given the funds to build a purpose built preschool on our land at Bellbird Heights is very exciting!”
“Preschool education is a very important step along a child’s educational journey and the Start Strong Program which provides 600 hours of avoidable preschool for 3 and 4 year-olds in NSW is a wonderful initiative by the state government.”
“The new centre will provide 44 extra extended hours preschool places. We bought the land at Bellbird Heights knowing that it was a growth area for young families. We are hoping to be open at the start of the 2025 school year.”