Goodstart buys embattled Qld childcare centres
Goodstart Early Learning has locked in the Queensland childcare centres it will take over from a company in administration. See the list.
Fifteen Edge Early Learning centres in Queensland will be taken over by not-for-profit Goodstart after Edge appointed administrators in August.
Goodstart this week confirmed the sites it was purchasing in Queensland centres alongside nine in South Australia, CEO Ros Baxter calling it a “landmark deal”.
“As a not-for-profit, we exist only for children and we are always looking for ways to support more children and their families, particularly those who live in more vulnerable communities,” Baxter said.
“Without this purchase, the most likely outcome was that these 24 ex-Edge centres would be run by yet another profit-making business which does not have children’s outcomes as their sole driving focus.
“We don’t think that is the best outcome for those children.”
It comes after eleven centres in Queensland were shut in October, with administrators unable to sell all sites of the embattled Edge brand.
Parents were given 48 hours’ notice for the closures.
Meanwhile, SA parents today felt the same pain scrambling to make new arrangements as six centres previously included in Goodstart’s takeover were not purchased.
KordaMentha said in a statement that Goodstart originally signed a Heads of Agreement to buy the closing centres, “but during their due diligence work” they decided not to go ahead with the sale.
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“The Administrators liaised with the other purchasers of the Edge centre network, and other parties who had shown interest in these centres, but unfortunately have not been able to secure an alternative purchaser. Impacted families and staff have been advised of the closures,” Korda Mentha’s statement said.
Goodstart blamed a “very tough period, with skyrocketing costs, steep increases in regulatory costs and oversupply issues” for not going ahead with purchasing all SA centres.
Edge expanded into South Australia in 2022, after opening its first childcare centres in Queensland in 2017.
The Edge Early Learning Centres being taken over by Goodstart are:
- Aroona
- Coomera
- Eagleby
- Elanora
- Ferny Grove
- Gordonvale
- Grange
- Queensland Centres
- Karana Downs
- Laidley
- Maryborough
- Peregian Springs
- Pimpama Village
- Silkstone
- Tarragindi
- Kanimbla
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