Popular Montessori childcare chain plunges into liquidation in South Australia

A chain of childcare centres based on the Montessori teaching method has gone into liquidation.

Nine Precious Cargo centres in Adelaide were placed into liquidation on Tuesday.

Adelaide-based business advisory firm Heard Phillips Lieberenz is now in charge of winding up the company, with directors Andrew Heard and Anthony Phillips appointed as liquidators.

Cheryl Shigrov founded Precious Cargo Education in 2006 after volunteering at her sons Montessori preschool as play group co-ordinator and teachers assistant.

I am also a strong advocate of better pay and conditions for educators, including through the child care industrys union, United Voice, she said.

My vision is to create a business model that gives back to the community and offers a unique and interconnecting range of businesses that support the improvement of humanity. 

The affected centres are at Blackwood, Collinswood, Lockleys, Marion, Woodville Park and Westbourne.

The initial liquidation announcement was made in June before the Fair Work Commission awarded a 15 per cent pay increase to childcare workers.

A chain of childcare centres based on the Montessori teaching method has gone into liquidation 

Nine Precious Cargo centres in Adelaide were placed into liquidation on Tuesday