In the wake of the collapse of CFK Childcare Centres, the child-care union that has spent weeks dampening concerns about the fallout from ABC Learning's demise has broken with its own line to call this the greatest crisis ever to face Australian child care.
But the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, which represents child-care staff, has urged parents to maintain their placements until more is known about the situation of individual centres.
The union, which has been involved in discussions with ABC, is scheduled to meet CFK'S receivers tomorrow.
"We would say we are in an absolute crisis at the moment," the executive vice-president of the union's NSW branch, Rebecca Reilly, said.
"We are really concerned about these families and the workers in these centres."
The dual collapse of ABC and CFK - the two largest corporate operators - will stimulate additional worry for parents in areas such as Kellyville. The suburb has four ABC centres and two CFK centres.
"There needs to be a lot of work done with the needs in that area," Ms Reilly said.
"We need to look at all the data in relation to places and government licences."
Brookvale has two ABC centres and two CFK centres. West Pennant Hills has one of each, as does Frenchs Forest and Wentworthville.
"Governments haven't looked at the issue," Ms Reilly said. "Now governments can't ignore it - it's a crisis."
The LHMU has urged the Federal Government to convene a round-table meeting to discuss child care in Australia, looking at licence granting and the appropriateness of corporate involvement now that the two largest listed providers have fallen over.