When Simone O’Brien started out her home childcare service Treasured Tots more than a decade ago, her philosophy was simple — provide the same love and support she gave her own children to her little clients and their families.
Thirteen years later, the mother-of-three now owns six facilities throughout the metropolitan area that all share that same philosophy.
And it is from that time spent getting to know those families, that Ms O’Brien says she has become acutely aware how much the cost-of-living crisis is affecting her clients.
So, to help, she said Treasured Tots was giving six lucky families free childcare for a year — one from each of its locations across Perth.
“Over the past six to 12 months, we have noticed that a lot of families are struggling to make ends meet,” Ms O’Brien told The Sunday Times. “One of the things we hear a lot from parents is that they need child care and they need to work. But the cost of that extra day of childcare outweighs any benefit from working.”
The winning families will each receive free childcare for two days per week, valued at an estimated $15,000 per family (total value $90,000) with the winners chosen randomly.
Ms O’Brien said since they launched the competition, she has received positive feedback from clients who have all said it would help relieve some of their financial burdens.
“I just want them (our families) to know they are not alone,” she added. “We are all in this together. We just want to support our families and their children the best way we can.”
To find out how to enter visit the Treasured Tots website.