Kinder fire cash plan- Staff and students at the Upper Yarra Community House Children’s Centre

By Monique Ebrington
THREE Upper Yarra kindergarten services have received extra funding from the State Government to help with expenses caused by the February fires.
The Upper Yarra Community House (UYCH) Children’s Centre, in Yarra Junction, will receive $4920, the highest amount of funding for a bushfire-affected kindergarten in the Upper Yarra.
The children’s centre was closed for four days during the bushfire period, based on advice from the CFA and the Department of Education and Training.
UYCH manager of the Family and Children’s Services Jenny Holinger said that, unlike common practice, they didn’t charge parents for the days they were closed.
“We didn’t charge any of the parents anything, we just closed for the day, however, we had to somehow make up for the loss of wages and closure fees that the childcare centre had lost,” Mrs Holinger said.
“For a not-for-profit organisation it was a lot of money to make up.”
Mrs Holinger applied for the grant in April and said with the centre covering the loss of wages and closure fees the funding will go towards the children.
“Seeing as though we had pretty much dealt with costs, we put the funding back into the children,” she said.
“It would be great to put the funding towards a PMP (Perceptual Motor Program) and purchase balance bars, bean bags and planks.”
The UYCH Children’s Centre cares for more than 80 children through their four-year-old group, three-year-old groups and after school care.
All Saints Preschool, in Yarra Junction, will receive $803, Upper Yarra Children’s Centre Inc., which operates kindergartens in Warburton, Millgrove, Launching Place and Woori Yallock, will receive $2524.