Prepare yourselves for a long thread about the UNSW decision to close one of its #childcare centres...Tonight when I picked my 3 year old up from the centre that is set to close I encountered staff and parents in tears and absolute shock.
As a scientist and mother of two young children I have always been incredibly proud to work at UNSW and have frequently boasted to others about our on-campus childcare. The existence of these centres has been a key enabler of progress for women staff, particularly those in STEMM.
They were a core part of our original bronze @SciGenderEquity Athena Swan submission, which I know as I researched and lead the writing of this section. We now stand at serious risk of losing this award with the recent cuts to EDI initiatives and budgets across UNSW.
A key point about the centres being owned and operated by UNSW has been the retention, expertise and loyalty of the early childhood educators themselves. Many of the incredible staff that have taught my two children at Kanga’s have been there for >20 years.
This continuity of care has been a key reason as to why Kanga’s House is so beloved by all its families. The staff employed there deserve our respect and enormous thanks for helping us to continue our research and teaching at UNSW.
These centres⚡️can not⚡️only be judged on their impact on the budget bottom line. They should be seen as what they truly are, key enablers of career progression for UNSW staff, and a crucial component of addressing our still significant equity gap for women at UNSW. #womeninSTEMM
