Major update on Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool saga after parents were ordered to pay a whopping price for their children’s artwork

Parents ordered to cough up $2,200 for their preschoolers’ artwork portfolio will not be charged for them after authorities intervened.

But the future of Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool in Brisbane‘s north remains in limbo after the cash-strapped facility was recently plunged into voluntary administration and subsequently closed.

Records show the preschool for children aged 3-5, owed debts of $46,000 in the last financial year.

The centre’s volunteer management committee emailed parents demanding $2,200 for their children’s end of year portfolios to help pay off its mounting debt owed to staff and keep the preschool afloat.

The one-man committee later claimed that the portfolios were ‘intellectual property’ of the centre.

The bizarre request sparked outrage from parents, which escalated when police launched an investigation into the ‘stealing’ of portfolios from the centre.

The saga prompted C&K, the company affiliated with Craigslea Kindergarten to intervene to end the hostile stand-off.

‘These important records are now available for families to collect free of charge,’ a spokesperson told Nine News.

Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool (pictured) was recently plunged into voluntary administration and closed due to mounting debts

Brooke Dolan (pictured) was ordered to cough up $2,200 for her five-year-old son’s artworks

The kindergarten was run by an independent committee. However, C&K is now working closely with relevant departments in the hope of re-opening for term four.

Under national regulations, parents can request certain documentation regarding their child at no cost, including artwork. 

In the meantime, parents can collect their children’s artwork portfolios from C&K’s Kedron office.

C&K is yet to respond to Daily Mail’s requests for comment.

A Queensland Department of Education spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail that parents don’t need to pay.

‘The approved provider must make the documentation available on request,’ they said.

Brooke Dolan was among a group of parents who took back control by confronting the committee and took their children’s artwork from the centre.

‘We signed consent forms at the start of the year that say the portfolios belong to us and that parents have a right to manage their kids’ sensitive information,’ she told A Current Affair.

One father told the program: ‘It’s been really stressful. Everyone has been really anxious.

‘We’re all trying to do our day jobs, look after our children and then strategise on what we can do to change the situation here. 

Parents have been assured that they can have children’s artwork portfolios free of charge

It’s been a full-time job trying to get some action.’

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli weighed in the saga earlier this week by slamming the committee’s demands as ‘pretty un-Australian’ and desperate.

‘I think it’s emotional blackmail,’ he told the Today Show.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve been in that position. I never saw any Picassos come home, that’s for sure. But they mean something to you. It’s special. It’s an achievement.’

‘I just think it’s wrong on so many levels. There are better things to be worried about at the moment. Let’s give the kids their finger painting and let’s get on with life.’