Some parents may struggle to afford preschool if fee-free initiative is not extended

Labor's Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Learning Jodie Harrison visited Bega on Tuesday, as part of her push to make the NSW government extend free preschool past the current end date in September to at least the end of the year.

She said people working in Bega preschools knew parents were "doing it pretty tough" due to the economic downturn and effects of the bushfires and COVID-19 crises - while 74 jobs being cut at the town's Bega Cheese factory would also create challenges for some parents.

Bega Preschool director Anne-Maree Carroll, who was speaking on behalf of a directors' network of community preschools in the Bega Valley, said preschools had seen "massive benefits" from the initiative.

"To continue it on to Term 4, if not hopefully forever, would be amazing for our community," she said.

"People here have lost their jobs, people have lost their homes.

"It's so important for the children to have part of their life normal and predictable."

READ ALSO: NSW Labor urges extending free preschool

A survey of 2200 Australian families by not-for-profit The Parenthood, released in June, found 34 per cent reported they will need to reduce days or remove their children from childcare altogether if out-of-pocket fees come back to what they were pre-coronavirus.

Ms Carroll said she could see the possibility of parents being unable to send their children to preschool because they could not afford it, if the free initiative ended.

"It would put families under pressure to find money, when there isn't money to be found," she said.

When asked if continuing free preschool was best for the health of early childhood educators during the COVID-19 crisis, considering other sectors had the ability to work from home, Ms Harrison said preschools already knew infection control was important even before the pandemic began and "that control is right at the forefront of people's minds in these services".

"They are considered essential workers so I think it's important that we thank them," she said.

"They so often feel like their work isn't recognised and what the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us is how important early childhood education and childcare is to keep allowing parents to continue their work."

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had announced $51million to cover the cost of preschool fees for up to six months earlier this year, and Ms Harrison said an extra $26million to extend free preschool "isn't a considerable sum for the economic and educational benefit it can provide".