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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol. 35. No. 12. 7 June 1972

Creche Crisis

Creche Crisis

Unless larger premises become available to the creche, it will not be able to cope with the 1973 increase and, even if this problem is solved, the creche will be underequipped if financial assistance is not forthcoming.

Child playing at a creche

The first problem is of major concern at the moment as even now the existing premises are being used to capacity. The university owns the property next door to the creche but it appears that we are going to have a fight every inch of the way to expand in that direction as there are other plans for its use. This house would be ideal as the creche could simply overflow into it and the wholesale 'pick up thy bed and walk' which would be the result of a shift to larger premises (if they were found) would be avoided.

The university creche has been operating successfully since 1967, apart from a break in 1968 when premises were not available. Since 1969 there has been an increase of at least 20 children a year attending the creche. The figure now stands at 104.

With regard to the financial problem, it is worthy of note - as was pointed out in a recent article in Salient - that Stud Ass has kindly given the creche the grand sum of $200 since it began. We wouldn't like to sound ungrateful but this amounts to an insult rather than adequate financial assistance.

Most students know the creche exists and most assume that they will be able to get their kids into it if necessary. With the difficulties now confronting the creche this will not be the case in future and it will be necessary to adopt some criteria for the selection of student parents who will be able to use the creche. How would you like it if you were confronted with the house full notice?

Two courses of action are open: Students must stop having children or the creche must receive the assistance necessary for it to provide an adequate service. The former seems unlikely.