'Won't happen quickly': Councils join forces to solve childcare crisis

The plan is being created in consultation with South West TAFE and the Department of Education.

"Resolving workforce shortages is not something that will happen quickly but we're working together as a region to look at career pathways and how we can promote professional opportunities within the sector," a city council spokesman said.

"Growing the early years workforce is one of council's advocacy priorities and council has held discussions about this with relevant department officers and parliamentarians."

The crisis in the sector led to the operator of a Timboon childcare centre to pull the pin on its service earlier this month.

Corangamite Shire Council has called for expressions of interest from other providers to step in and fill the gap.

Expressions of interest close on May 1.

Warrnambool looks set to get some relief with things looking positive for the construction of a new centre to go ahead.

The operator hopes to employ 40 people to staff the 148 places it will create by September next year.

Councils' staff are meeting often with early years education stakeholders, including South West TAFE.

"Councils across Australia are facing early years workforce challenges as we respond to rising demands for childcare and increasing kinder hours," the spokesman said.

Through the Victorian Government's Best Start Best Life reform, there is a need to provide more hours of kindergarten with the universal access program now available to three-year-old children.

In addition, over the next decade, four-year-old kindergarten will transition to pre-prep - increasing to a universal 30-hour-a-week program of play-based learning for four-year-old children in Victoria by 2032.

"We're fortunate in the south-west to have a network of councils keen to work together to address issues," the spokesman said.

"We also have South West TAFE and Deakin University within Warrnambool keen to explore possible solutions."