Amberlee McFarland and husband Damian, owners of Lula Mays Childcare in Lancefield, have bought relief to many parents by taking control of the Romsey centre.

Negotiations were finalised early last week.

The couple opened their privately run business in July 2007 and have a combined 20 years' experience in the child-care industry.

Ms McFarland said it was important to keep a child-care centre in Romsey.

"Because it was in the same community we are already based in, it made sense to branch out and take them on as well and ensure we could look after the whole community."

Ms McFarland said they hoped to retain some of the original staff at the Romsey centre, which can cater for about 40 children.

As reported in the Telegraph last week, the Romsey centre was one of three ABC centres in Victoria under a cloud because negotiations with potential new operators had not been finalised.

Before going into voluntary administration last November, ABC Learning controlled 1100 child-care centres, employed 16,000 staff and had more than 100,000 children in its care.

Earlier this month, PPB, the court-appointed receiver for the ABC2 Group, announced that buyers had been identified for 210 ABC centres previously deemed unviable by receiver McGrathNicol.