ANU enters negotiations to keep current childcare providers on campus

This is a joint statement from The Australian National University, University Preschool Child Care Centre, Heritage Early Childhood Centre, Acton Early Childhood Centre and Cubby House on Campus.

The Australian National University (ANU) and the existing four on-campus community childcare centres have today announced that University Preschool Child Care Centre (UPCCC) and Heritage Early Childhood Centre (Heritage) will enter exclusive conversations about the ongoing provision of high-quality childcare on the ANU Acton campus.

The University is excited to confirm that following today’s announcement it will defer any tender process for the provision of childcare in the new facilities while discussions with UPCCC and Heritage progress.   

ANU has received proposals from the UPCCC and Heritage to deliver high-quality childcare in two brand-new facilities on the University’s campus from January 2025. Both proposals have also received letters of support from Acton Early Childhood Centre (AECC) and Cubby House on Campus.

Both Cubby House and AECC submitted proposals to the University to remain in their current facilities, however these proposals were not feasible from the University’s perspective. As a result, AECC and Cubby have supported the proposals from UPCCC and Heritage.

ANU is moving childcare to new buildings because the heritage-listed cottages housing the current community childcare centres contain potentially unsafe materials including lead paint and asbestos, and it has become unsustainable to continue using them for childcare.

ANU, UPCCC, Heritage, Acton and Cubby are committed to ensuring the continuity of high-quality, safe and sustainable childcare on the University’s campus.

ANU will now continue to work exclusively with UPCCC and Heritage to finalise an agreement for the two childcare providers to move into the new facilities. 

ANU will inform families in the four current centres on its campus, as well as the University community, as soon as the final terms of the agreements with UPCCC and Heritage are reached, including agreements regarding continuity of care.