Childcare under pressure after Port Explorers Port Douglas floods
Childcare Centre Flooded
Families of Port Explorers Port Douglas childcare facility face a desperate search for services for up to eight weeks following a significant flooding event at the Langley Road centre.
Cleaning staff discovered the flooding on Monday morning, October 21, with no-one having been in the building across the weekend.
It is understood that a pipe had burst in the ceiling of the childcare centre which accommodates 50 child placements each day.
Port Explorers Director Julie McDonald said repairs and maintenance experts suggested the clean up and repairs in the centre could take as long as eight weeks.
Port Explorers is engaging with the Education Department on a strategy to provide care for children impacted by the closure. Mrs McDonald said services are already stretched across the region and it was hoped the authorities could consider relaxing some requirements in the short term to manage the situation.
Port Explorers runs centres at Craiglie and Cooya Beach, and an outside school hours care program at Port Douglas State School.
“It is obviously very distressing for all… families and our staff,’’ Mrs McDoanld said.
“We will be doing what we can to help our families through and we will be keeping all informed.’’
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