It is a familiar scenario across the region: parents have had their child’s name on a waiting list since before they were born and are anxiously waiting to see if they will get a spot.

Or, they have a spot but must travel out of their way to have their child in care.

Kathleen Adair has had her name down at several daycare centres in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area since she found out she was pregnant.

Her baby is now eight months old and is being looked after by Ms Adair’s father while she waits for a childcare spot to open up.

The Newcastle mother is desperate to secure care for next year, when her father goes back to work.

Ms Adair was recently offered one day a week for 2017 but it means she will have to change her work schedule.

“From February 20 I have a spot,” Ms Adair said. “It’s not a day that works for me but I’m going to have to make it work.

“Some places I didn’t hear back from at all. The process is so stressful and so emotional.” 

Parents like Ms Adair will be buoyed by the news that Creative Childcare plan to open three new centres in Newcastle in 2017.

The first in Park Avenue, Kotara is set to open in January and two more, at Hamilton and Newcastle West and currently under construction, are expected to be operational mid-year.

Collectively the three centres will open up close to 300 daycare spots per day.

Creative Childcare co-founder Craig Neil said there had already been a lot of enquiries and the Kotara centre “is filling fast”.

He also said the centres offered “a fresh and new approach” to early learning.

“Our aim at Creative Childcare is to provide a happy and welcoming environment for children where they can learn, laugh, play and grow through the use of various creative and sensory rich resources,” he said. “Creative Childcare is not just another childcare centre. We want to raise the bar in the provision of childcare in the area.”

The centres are for children aged 0 to six years and offer a program rich in “play-based learning”. 

For more information on the centres: 1300 002 929.