Ms Diebert doesn't want to send her children anywhere else.

But the Deakin centre is one of 26 left out of a deal designed to rescue 678 centres across the country after the collapse of ABC Learning in November last year.

Now parents and children face an uncertain wait while a buyer is sought for the Deakin centre.

Receiver McGrath Nicholl announced yesterday not-for-profit group GoodStart was the preferred purchaser for the 678 ABC centres.

GoodStart has promised to keep the doors open in the short term while McGrath Nicholls looks at other bids. But many parents expressed their concern last night about the fate of the Deakin centre.

''I am worried, the kids have been coming here for close to two years, the staff are excellent and it would be pretty sad to see it closed,'' Ms Diebert said.

Theodore mother Kerrie Picker said her children Max and Madison also felt at home in the Deakin centre, which has 67 children and 18 full-time and part-time staff.

Management briefed centre staff yesterday and handed parents letters.

A spokeswoman for receiver McGrath Nicholl, Jo Case, tried to allay fears yesterday, saying an announcement on the 26 centres was expected in the next few days.

The new consortium, GoodStart, comprises Mission Australia, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the Benevolent Society and Social Ventures.

For more details on this story, see today's Canberra Times.