To help bolster support from the government for more funding, parents are putting together letters of support to highlight the impact the lack of care has in the community.

A group of over 60 parents and guardians are working to get traction on a facility.

One mother, Belinda Swan has had her study impacted by unable to find child care for her child when she needed to do placement.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"I tried to study while I have been a stay-at-home mother, I got right to the last part of my study to find out there is nowhere to put my son while I did work experience and that no one was taking anyone on during COVID-19," she said.

"I had to stop my study, I had also looked at finishing the course I started but another brick wall was hit when I could not find someone to look after him before school so I have had to look at new course instead."

In April 2021, the Yarriambiack Shire sent out a survey to get a gauge on the need for child care in the Dunmunkle area which includes Minyip, Murtoa and Rupanyup.

Council will seek federal or state election commitment in 2022 for a facility.

Ms Swan has lived in Murtoa for four years and was frustrated with the situation.

"I would like to think by now in the 21st century that everybody was entitled to have access to child care no matter where in Australia you choose to live," she said.

"As we are a town of nearly 800 people that we should be able to have a child care centre here in Murtoa as we are a growing town with a lot of young families that move out here due to affordable living of houses in the area.

"We should not have to drive for over 30 minutes to the nearest town to put our child in if you work in a town like Rupanyup or Minyip which means you have to drop your child off in Horsham or Warracknabeal and have to drive out past your house or home town to go to work."

Ms Swan said the lack of child care hurts the whole community overall.

"Something has to be done about this issue soon as a lot of parents will move out of this town that brings in a lot of things like the stick shed and the railway museum and the train station museum," she said.

"I am looking at all my options to go back to work after having my son and like would like to return to the force soon rather than later."

Another parent who wished to remain anonymous said the lack of childcare services in Murtoa causes families hardship.

"It has an economic and social impact directly on our community," they said.

"The closest being 40 kilometres away (30 minutes drive one way) in the regional centre of Horsham, where waiting lists are long and there is no flexibility with timing or days.

They said there is enough support in the community including staff.

"Murtoa is fortunate to have a number of residents highly qualified in childcare who have indicated a keen interest to work locally if the opportunity was available," they said.

MORE NEWS:

"The Yarriambiack Shire Council has given 100 per cent since the beginning to support day-care in place. A lot of effort and time has been spent to try get this stood up, including conducting parent surveys to scope interest, apply for funding, and meeting with the Vic Department of Education with the hope to build an early learning centre.

"This was quickly shut down by the Department of Education as we are not in a "growth corridor", as in outer Melbourne areas. Childcare is a Federal funded service, the Federal Government local member indicated support for the issue for over a year now and has offered to make this an election promise. However, childcare is an essential service and not a political issue on which elections should be run, not to mention - election promises take years to translate into action."

To help gain more attention to the need of childcare in-place locally in rural communities parents and guardians can email a Letters of Support for childcare in-place in the area.

Send letters of support to info@yarriambiack.vic.gov.au

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

Did you know you can receive updates straight to your inbox? To make sure you're up-to-date with news from across the region, sign up here.