THREAD
As an #ECR scientist + mum to 2 kids -who have been lucky enough to attend #EarlyYears #childcare @UNSW since they were babies- I have felt devastated + heartbroken since @UNSW announced they were closing one of these amazing centres centres and privatising the rest 1/6
As an #ECR scientist + mum to 2 kids -who have been lucky enough to attend #EarlyYears #childcare @UNSW since they were babies- I have felt devastated + heartbroken since @UNSW announced they were closing one of these amazing centres centres and privatising the rest 1/6
The unique university-run model enabled these centres to become *literal* centres of early childhood excellence, where places are highly coveted 👉🏻 acecqa.gov.au/media-releases… 2/6
#UNSWEarlyYears reputation is such that I eagerly put my 1st kid on the waitlist when I was 5months pregnant, & was lucky+grateful to get a spot 1.5y later. Our kids have since been cared for by educators who have been @UNSW #EarlyYears for 20yrs - unheard-of continuity! 🙌🏻 3/6
Knowing how brilliant the care was @UNSW #EarlyYears meant I was able to return to my @nhmrc fellowship, & give my best each day to my colleagues, students, research studies + young cancer patients I support, knowing my kids were w educators who loved them, & who they loved ❤️ 4/
This childcare has been CRITICAL to my career progression. Like many #WomenInSTEMM, my postdoc yrs have overlapped almost entirely with having babies. Investing in quality childcare IS investing in #ECR productivity: I have 30 pubs + >3.8M in new grants since having babies 5/6
The amazing @UNSW #EarlyYears educators also looked after our kids thru #COVID19 recently, when any one of our snotty kids could’ve been a danger to them. They turned up to work so we could too.
These centres are SO much more than a financial bottom line. #SaveEarlyYears 6/6
These centres are SO much more than a financial bottom line. #SaveEarlyYears 6/6
