Melbourne child care agency cancels Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations at dozens of kindergartens

Dozens of kindergartens across Melbourne have cancelled Mother’s and Father’s Days in an effort to be more inclusive — a move that has divided opinions.

Just three hours after school closed for the year, parents at St Helena Preschool in Eltham North were told by management at ECMS that the two special holidays would now be celebrated a little differently.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Dozens of kindergartens across Melbourne cancel Mother’s and Father’s Days

“Next year we’ll be holding Family Day to honour all caregivers or significant figures in your children’s lives. Children will be encouraged to express gratitude and recognise those who play a supportive role in their lives,” it said in a letter to parents.

“We won’t be holding titled celebrations like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day but we will have a fabulous Family Day celebration.”

ECMS chief executive Kieran Kearney said: “This isn’t just a micro issue, this is recognising that family means different this to different people and different communities”.

7NEWS understands the majority of parents don’t support the change.

Doctor Bella d’Abrera from the Institute of Public Affairs called the move “woke activism”.

“It tries to be inclusive but it ends up excluding the majority population,” she said. “I can understand why the parents are upset.

“There should be no place in Australian kindergartens for the politicisation of toddlers and infants.”

ECMS runs 69 private centres across Melbourne and the change applies to more than half of them.

Parents have told 7NEWS they were blindsided by the letter and that there was no consultation.

“Change is hard for everyone,” Kearney said.

“We find change hard too. It can be difficult for some people to accept that change.”