Councillor Chris Harris

I am delighted that the City has agreed to provide a childcare facility for City of Sydney staff.  In October 2007 I proposed that the City survey staff and develop a case for a work based childcare facility.

There was a very good response from staff to the survey which indicated that most respondents supported assistance from the City with their childcare needs.  Also, half the respondents knew someone who would apply for a position at the City if childcare was provided.

The benefits of in-house childcare for our staff and to the City are obvious. For staff, the time involved in dropping off and picking up kids from childcare is dramatically streamlined; nursing mothers can integrate work and the child’s needs throughout the day; the cost of childcare will be less than that charged by a commercial operator; childcare fees can be salary sacrificed and the childcare place will be secure.

For the City the provision of childcare will enable better retention of our highly trained staff; it will further enhance the opportunity for part time employment for women with young children and it will position the City as a desirable place to work and therefore attract high quality candidates for a diverse range of positions.

In 2005 the City introduced a childcare Development Control Plan which is an important planning tool to fill a need for families that typically had two working parents.  It is great to see the City reinforcing the importance of professional, cost effective and high quality childcare by introducing an ‘in house’ scheme.

In the short to medium term the City’s childcare scheme will be housed in the City’s Chippendale child care centre. Places that are not filled by the children of staff will be offered to the general community.
 

 Extract from Council Minutes - My Notice of Motion - October 29, 2007