Childcare News
Daycare centres are exposing children to risky play, and there are unexpected results October 7th 2021
Watching four-year-old Hudson play on an edge nearly two metres off the ground can make the heart race. He is missing his two front teeth after a bike accident and is getting over an elbow fracture after a fall in a neighbourhood park. …….. read more
‘We should do everything we can’: Childcare giant to mandate jabs for all employees September 28, 2021
Goodstart Early Learning will make coronavirus vaccinations mandatory for all employees nationwide, making the childcare giant the first in the sector to mandate the vaccine. …….. read more
Federal Budget 2021: Government announces $1.7 billion package to ease childcare costs for working families May 2, 2021
Aussie parents who have at least two kids in childcare are set to receive a boost from the Federal Budget after Treasurer Josh Frydenberg unveiled a $1.7 billion package…….. read more
Childcare Funding 20x More Effective at Creating Jobs than Tax Cuts 11 November 2020
Increased public funding for child care is nearly 20 times more effective at creating jobs than a tax cut of the same size according to new macroeconomic modelling released by The Australia Institute today…. ………read more
‘Why does no one care?’: the tragic flaws in the childcare system 31 October 2020
It’s an anxious enough experience, dropping little ones off to childcare for the first few times… ………read more
Plibersek ‘not closed’ to making childcare tax deductible 20 October 2020
In a departure from traditional Labor policy on childcare, Shadow Education Minister Tanya Plibersek says she’s open to the possibility of making childcare tax-deductible…. ………read more
Free childcare ends July 12, with sector losing JobKeeper but receiving temporary payment 08 June 2020
Free childcare will end on July 12, with the government saying it has “done its job” and demand is now increasing for places as the economy is reopening. ………read more
Parents Of Toddlers Left On Child Care Buses Say ‘Something Needs To Change’ 26 February 2020
One year before a child was found dead on a child care bus in Cairns, another little boy was being rushed to hospital with severe dehydration after he was forgotten inside a different bus on a hot summer day in NSW. ………read more
Grossly unfair’: How Australia’s super system penalises mothers. 13 February 2020
Australian workers get paid superannuation payments during paid sick leave, paid long service leave and paid annual leave. . ………read more
Caring for the planet and learning languages: Where early childhood education is headed in 2020. 21 January 2020
Entrusting the care and wellbeing of the most important small person or people in your life to someone else is a big deal. Because in 2020, ‘care’ just doesn’t cut it. ………read more
Childcare review on cards in 2020: Tehan 14 December 2019
Education Minister Dan Tehan has conceded that some private childcare providers are charging families more than the federal government’s cap introduced two years ago. But he says out-of-pocket expenses are 5.6 per cent lower overall.. ………read more
QikKids owner TSG to acquire Xplor as it extends its reach into Australian ECEC sector 03 December 2019
Transaction Services Group (TSG), a global leader in revenue management solutions and the parent company of QK Technologies, the owner of the QikKids childcare management software platform (CMS), is set to acquire fellow CMS provider Xplor according to customer communications from both parties reviewed by The Sector. ………read more
‘I feel more confident in me’: Sharon is a childcare pioneer 17 October 2019
The 33-year-old has just completed her Certificate 3 in Children’s Services at CIT, believed to be the first person with Down syndrome in the ACT, and only the second person in Australia, to do so……..read more
Lawyer Andrea Christie-David has created a childcare alternative & business is booming 27 August 2019
In Australia, it’s not just the cost of childcare that’s a barrier to mothers fully engaging in the workforce, but also the lack of flexibility in the system……read more
Child care centre terminates places after mothers query $20 a day fee rise 15 August 2019
Two families who say they were booted out of a Canberra child care centre after questioning a $20 a day fee rise are still waiting for their bonds to be returned, and calling for more regulation of the sector…..read more
TAFE NSW makes moving to Australia a little smoother with AMEP ELC now open 17 July 2019
The Padstow campus of TAFE New South Wales has recently opened an early learning centre (ELC) which is for the exclusive use of those TAFE students attending the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at TAFE….read more
Good things in store for Gumnut Grove Child Care Centre 18 June 2019
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke visited Gumnut Grove Child Care Centre on Friday and found out how a $30,954 grant is making life easier for staff and children, as well as boosting the local economy…..read more
Masterplan Update: $1.8bn Ivanhoe Estate Redevelopment 28 May 2019
The updated masterplan for the $1.8 billion Ivanhoe Estate, referred to as Australia’s largest social housing project, is on public exhibition…..read more
Labor says childcare costs have gone up 28 per cent under the Coalition. Is that correct? 15 May 2019
In announcing its plan to overhaul childcare with a $4 billion funding boost, Labor has sought to blame the government for an increase in childcare fees over the past five years….read more
Cubsta: new childcare management software launches 12 March 2019
A new cloud-based childcare management software, called Cubsta, has been launched by a digital agency in Sydney, with the aim to become a complete software solution that allows early childhood education and care (ECEC) services to manage their entire operation….read more
Increasing costs to raise a child until the age of four 20 February 2019
Have you worked out exactly how much you’ve spent on the kids before they even start school?……read more
We can’t sit by and watch yet another election devoid of issues that matter to women 08 February 2019
Frankly our expectations have been low. All our lives, women have been underrepresented in public office……read more
7 things only parents working during school holidays will understand 03 January 2019
Most full-time employees are awarded four weeks of annual leave each year. School holidays, however, are much more plentiful, leaving many parents short when it comes to child care…..read more
Unvaccinated children to be banned from WA kindies, childcare centres in disease outbreaks 14 December 2018
The WA Government has introduced new regulations which allow the Health Department to ban unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children from going to school during disease outbreaks…. read more
With elections approaching, Australian early childhood education has become a focus 20 November 2018
What are they promising? read more
They like to move it, move it: outside play helps children meet movement targets 19 November 2018
Preschool-aged children are twice as active, and less sedentary when outdoors compared to indoors, a US study which fitted children with GPS technology while in a childcare setting has found….. read more
Kinder is much more than babysitting: academics 08 October 2018
The erroneous perception that early childhood educational environments are places for child-minding or ‘baby-sitting’ has diminished over the years…… read more
Why Labor’s plan for preschool is music to the ears of early childhood advocates 05 October 2018
Federal Labor is committing to funding 15 hours a week, 600 hours a year, of play-based preschool learning for all children in their two years before school….. read more
Banning giveaways won’t stop early learning centres putting business first 25 September 2018
Free iPads. Cut-price holidays. Mortgage payment contributions. Free petrol. These are some of the “giveaways” that childcare centres are using to spruik their services….. read more
‘There is something broken in the childcare model’: Senate Committee calls for childcare shake-up 23 August 2018
Calls for a status quo shake-up in the childcare industry will attract the ire of unionists, as pushes to ditch onerous staff-to-child ratios and relax childcare worker qualifications come to the fore….. read more
A new look food allergen portal provides best practice resources on managing allergens 20 August 2018
A new look food allergen portal, the result of a collaboration between industry, consumer and government stakeholders, is providing best practice resources on managing allergens in food…. read more
It’s time to radically reimagine the role of fathers in workplaces & homes 17 August 2018
With little fanfare, a rather special event took place in Canberra last week on the subject of fatherhood….. read more
Winners and losers under the childcare payment changes 09 August 2018
More than a million families around the country are adjusting to the biggest change to childcare payments in years…….. read more
Child Care Subsidy: G8 Education makes hours flexible for parents 01 August 2018
THE CHILD Care Subsidy has been largely louded as confusing, but one Tamworth childcare centre is doing things differently …….. read more
Who is left behind under the new child care subsidy? 30 July 2018
Australian families are increasingly relying on childcare but a change in policy may leave those who need it most locked out …….. read more
Childcare subsidy changes could mean more grandparents are carrying the load 25 June 2018
It’s 6:30am, the sun’s not even up, but for retiree Marylu Liversidge the day has already begun…….. read more
‘I can’t afford this’: Parent’s slam new child care subsidy rollout 12 July 2018
Sydney mum Amrita thought she had doe all the right things …….. read more
Childcare subsidy changes could mean more grandparents are carrying the load 25 June 2018
It’s 6:30am, the sun’s not even up, but for retiree Marylu Liversidge the day has already begun…….. read more
Child Care Subsidy will leave thousands of families worse off — are you one of them? 13 June 2018
In under three weeks, the Child Care Subsidy comes into force, and while it was designed to be fairer, there are fears many working families will be left thousands of dollars out of pocket…….. read more
What outcomes parents should expect from early childhood education and care 24 May 2018
Parents often have different expectations for their three- to five-year-old children when they attend an early learning centre………. read more
Indigenous childcare providers say low income, unemployed families to suffer under changes from July 02 May 2018
Indigenous childcare providers say the most vulnerable children and families will be cut off under the Federal Government’s $1.6 billion childcare package which comes into effect in July……… read more
New Commercial Property Insights are now available 10 April 2018
Have a look at the Commercial Property Guide Blog pages……….. read more
New childcare rebate needs new parent info 08 April 2018
Parents who want to keep their childcare costs as low as possible have three months to fill in an online form if they want to keep receiving government subsidies on their fees……….. read more
Revealed: Childcare workers paid less than McDonald’s workers 27 March 2018
Childcare workers responsible for caring for children in their most critical years of development are among the lowest-paid workers in Australia………. read more
Early intervention key to beating poverty trap 08 March 2018
Supporting families, early childhood education and school retention are the key factors in helping people beat the poverty cycle………. read more
Australia’s new $175m SAP child care subsidy system counts down to go-live 07 March 2018
The federal Department of Education is in the final stages of user acceptance testing for a new SAP-based system that will administer child care subsidies, as it stares down a firm July deadline for go-live……… read more
INS is the Aussie company ‘putting Google to shame’ 15 February 2018
IT’S the Sydney workplace saving their employees tens of thousands of dollars a year by offering a free on-site crèche, travelling nannies for interstate projects, flexible work arrangements and daily yoga, boxing and walking clubs…….. read more
The ‘motherhood penalty’ stings no matter how much governments do 09 February 2018
Everything’s just wonderful for working mothers in places like Sweden, Norway and Iceland. Or so we like to believe…….. read more
Free flu vaccines for all NSW children under five years after horror flu season 23 January 2018
Free flu vaccinations will now be available for all NSW children between six months and five years old, after a horror season killed two preschoolers in 2017. ……. read more
Parents face childcare dilemma as Christmas holidays drag on 12 January 2018
As the Christmas break comes to an end and it is time to head back to work, many parents are left with the headache of how to care for their children for the few weeks of school holidays that remain……. read more
Teacher training, pay and performance: What makes a difference to kids? 30 November 2017
Teacher training, pay and performance are often the subject of studies and reports that generate tense public discussion, so let’s boil it down to one thing: what actually helps children learn?…… read more
Young Australians will wear the cost of Turnbull’s middle-income tax cuts 22 November 2017
Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull has promised tax cuts for middle-income earners in the next budget or even earlier?…… read more
What kids and parents really want from early-childhood education 23 October 2017
The funding and availability of early childhood education centres remains a contentious issue. But what do kids think about their days in these centres?…… read more
What they’re teaching kids at kindy today 04 October 2017
BRISBANE child care centres are rolling out classes to help kids learn the most basic skills in order to stop them going hungry at lunch time……..read more
Early learning report card: Australia is improving rapidly, but there’s more work to do 11 September 2017
Quality early education can set a child up for life, allowing them to develop to their full potential……..read more
Childcare workers to walk-off job Thursday 03 September 2017
It will be the biggest early education walk-off in Australian history and will impact about 10,000 families………read more
Think Childcare Ltd share price sinks on half-year result release 15 August 2017
The Think Childcare Ltd (ASX: TNK) share price has sunk almost 5% lower to $2.00 following the release of its half-year result……..read more
Grandparents isolated by full time child care; Bega Playability provides respite 11 August 2017
A growing number of grandparents are sacrificing their retirement plans to provide full time care to their grandchildren……..read more
Why a Perth childcare centre lets kids to sleep outside, even when its rainy 08 August 2017
Little Learners in Perth, which cares for babies to five-year-old children, believes an outdoor sleeping policy benefits the kids and reduces absences by the common cold and allergies……..read more
Free online advertisements for babysitters can come at a cost for desperate parents 02 August 2017
Babysitters have long served the needs of parents needing a night off or to fill in the gaps when child care isn’t an option…….read more
It’s time for the forgotten women of Australia to rise 27 July 2017
They rush to drop children at childcare at 7:30am, then ignore their baby’s tears as they speed away to find a carparking spot at the station, so they’ll be at their desk on time……read more
Australia is still lagging on some aspects of early childhood education 23 June 2017
The OECD’s latest Starting Strong report provides an update on early childhood education opportunities across the developed world, and a fresh insight into how Australian children are faring…..read more
One-third of pre schoolers own smartphones 21 June 2017
It appears owning a smartphone or tablet is the new normal for Australian children, raising serious health concerns among paediatricians……..read more
TAFE director appeals for federal support 20 June 2017
TAFE diploma enrolments have plummeted by half due to red tape and federal intervention is needed to preserve quality training, according to the organisation’s managing director…….read more
NSW childcare fraudster denied bail 31 May 2017
A NSW childcare director jailed over more than $3.6 million worth of fraudulently obtained federal government payments has been denied bail pending an appeal..………read more
With its 2017 budget the government is still discouraging women 19 May 2017
The 2017 federal budget was pitched as a fair budget, but much depends on your definition of fairness. .………read more
Machines begin caring for humans in China 30 April 2017
While it has become common to see robots on factory assembly lines, in China the machines have already begun providing the elderly with care and helping raise children at daycare centres. .………read more
Why pay for child care you don’t use, like on public holidays? 12 April 2017
It’s a pet peeve of many parents with children in day care —getting slugged on public holidays when childcare centres shut their doors. .………read more
Is the Greens’ proposal for a four-day working week a good idea? 15 March 2017
THE Greens have floated a radical idea to reduce the working week to just four days instead of five days, but is the idea as good as it sounds?.………read more
PM Turnbull takes hard stance on vaccinations 12 March 2017
Malcolm Turnbull is confident his plan to ban unvaccinated children from childcare centres and pre-schools will be enforced Australia-wide.………read more
Welfare, childcare bill passes lower house 01 March 2017
Parliament’s lower house has passed a government bill which makes cuts to some welfare payments while overhauling the childcare system. ..………read more
Labor expected to oppose government’s childcare overhaul plan 09 February 2017
Relief for parents paying childcare fees looks as far away as ever after Labor ruled out supporting a Turnbull government omnibus bill that bundles an overhaul of subsidies with welfare cuts..………read more
Kids left to wreck shops: ‘We’re not a childcare centre’ 23 January 2017
IT’S school holidays. And Lord knows by this stage of the game, it gets hard to entertain those little mites..………read more
FactCheck: what are the facts on rising child care prices? 18 January 2017
As the working year starts again and many children return to formal child care, Education Minister Simon Birmingham has called on Labor to support a suite of reforms he says will ensure prices rise more slowly.………read more
Senator’s insulting description of childcare workers 11 January 2017
The Project viewers were left stunned when Senator David Leyonhjelm described childcare workers’ roles as “wiping noses and stopping the kids from killing each other” in an interview on Tuesday night………read more
Row over childcare places 02 January 2017
The federal government has warned of a looming shortage of childcare places……..read more
Australia’s largest after-school care company banned from tendering for new contracts in NSW 08 December 2016
The country’s largest before-and-after-school care company, Camp Australia, has been banned from tendering for new contracts or renewing existing contracts at government schools in New South Wales, for failing to meet quality requirements………read more
Early childhood educators rely on families to prop up low income, research finds 24 November 2016
Wages for qualified early childhood teachers have improved over time. However, incomes of those with vocational qualifications, including diplomas and certificates, remain low and do not reflect the responsibilities that characterise the role……..read more
Who profits from Australia’s childcare system? 12 November 2016
Listed long-day care provider G8 Education made an $88.6 million profit in 2015-16…….read more
Australia’s largest childcare provider pressures Government to speed up plan to boost subsidies 07 November 2016
The country’s largest childcare provider is pressuring the Federal Government to speed up its plan to boost subsidies for working families……read more
Experts, educators split on whether preschoolers should be using digital devices 27 October 2016
It is a question almost every Australian parent will ask themselves: at what age should children be allowed to use digital devices?….. read more
The stay-at-home Dad debate: ‘When are you getting a real job?’ 16 October 2016
Dad dilemmas: Stay-at-home dads have to wear the barbs, as well as the nappy-changes….. read more
Childcare employees’ pay too low to be able to start family, union says 07 October 2016
United Voice calls for 35% pay rise across a range of childcare positions, in submission to Fair Work Commission….. read more
‘No jab, no pay’ disadvantages migrant children 03 October 2016
The Commonwealth government’s “no jab, no pay” legislation is disadvantaging migrant children, say immunisation experts……… read more
Do ‘kindy bootcamps’ get children ready for school? 29 September 2016
A recent surge in private companies offering “skill and drill” school-readiness programs has been likened to “kindy bootcamps” by the media……… read more
Funding targets children in need 15 September 2016
A not-for-profit day care provider that operates centres in Dubbo has expressed disappointment after the NSW government announced an additional $115 million over 18 months for early childhood education……. read more
Sir Michael Marmot urges Australia to invest in early childhood to close Indigenous health gap 12 September 2016
If Australia wants to close the gap between the health of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, the traditional approach of treating disease will not do it, epidemiologist Sir Michael Marmot says…… read more
Is it time for Australia to provide preschool education for all three-year-olds? 02 September 2016
There is a clear move internationally towards delivery of two years of preschool, with early education being understood as a critical investment in human capital………….read more
One in four NSW childcare centres failing to meet national standards: report 27 August 2016
The Federal Government is urging the New South Wales Government to do more to make the state’s childcare centres compliant …………read more
Two men charged with childcare fraud in multi-million-dollar counter-terrorism investigation 13 August 2016
Two men have been charged with fraud and another two have been questioned in a multi-million-dollar Australian Federal Police (AFP) counter-terrorism and fraud investigation that has exposed gaping holes in Australia’s childcare system…………read more
Xenophon offers hope on childcare deal 08 August 2016
Parents awaiting changes to childcare subsidies may see a glimmer of hope from the new Senate crossbench………..read more
The male breadwinner is an outdated relic 27 July 2016
It is time to dispense with a relic lingering at the core of our economy: the male breadwinner………..read more
Four reasons your childcare bill is so high 20 July 2016
The average amount spent on childcare each week has more than doubled in little more than a decade……….read more
NSW man caught filming kids at childcare 06 July 2016
A man has allegedly been caught filming young children on his phone from outside a childcare centre in Sydney’s west……….read more
What Vote Compass reveals about paid parental leave and childcare 28 June 2016
Where do Australian voters stand on these critical issues for Australian families?……….read more
City needs schooling in delivering on childcare 23 June 2016
The City of Sydney is falling behind on plans to build six additional childcare centers by the end of this year, and one will not be built ever, according to Labor councillor Linda Scott……….read more
One in five early childhood educators plan to leave the profession 22 June 2016
Despite lip service being paid to the importance of early education, little is being done to encourage early education staff to stay in the profession………..read more
Sydney hospital childcare centres privatised by stealth, NSW Opposition says 14 June 2016
Labor said in the past year, the Government had announced plans to close, scrap subsidies or privatise childcare centres at a number of hospitals across the city………read more
Child care choice: Will voters want a sugar hit or a more lasting solution? 07 June 2016
Labor’s long-awaited response to the government’s proposals on child care reveals a “quicker fix” approach that raises doubts about its sustainability………read more
New app boosts children’s learning in a week, researcher says 31 May 2016
An app being trialled in Queensland can drastically improve children’s reading and learning ability within a week, the researcher behind it says……..read more
Preschool shouldn’t be an optional extra 30 May 2016
It is unfathomable that 23 per cent of children cannot access early learning due to the high cost…….read more
The best Mother’s Day gift? Paid parental leave 08 May 2016
What all Australian mothers want — is better paid parental leave, affordable childcare and a ramp at her local train station…….read more
Record number of men sign up for childcare courses at TAFE SWSi in Campbelltown 27 April 2016
TIMES are definitely changing with a record number of men studying childcare at TAFE SWSi in Campbelltown this year…….read more
The NSW suburbs and towns where the most babies were born in 2015 11 April 2016
The state’s baby hotspots have been revealed, with the majority found in Sydney’s west and south-west…….read more
Five ideas to help fix Australia’s tax system 10 April 2016
The government should fix the high effective tax rates caused by interactions between income tax, family benefits and childcare payments. ……read more
Government’s childcare changes could restrict access to learning: Indigenous peak body 04 April 2016
If the Government’s Jobs for Families Child Care legislation passes Parliament, many Aboriginal childcare centres face changes. ……read more
Playgroups give children better start at school 28 March 2016
Childcare experts are urging parents to get their kids into playgroups. ……read more
Thousands at risk of losing benefits because of “no jab no pay” 15 March 2016
Thousands of Australians are at risk of having their welfare payments unfairly slashed because of inaccuracies in Australia’s immunisation register ……read more
Your guide to choosing childcare (Guide for Mums) 10 March 2016
Guide for those joing the ranks of the more than 726,000 Australian families who use approved child care……read more
130,000 kids lose out in childcare changes 04 March 2016
More than 130,000 children will be worse off by planned government changes to childcare……read more
Kids more likely to be vaccinated since start of ‘no jab no pay’ 22 February 2016
Anecdotal evidence suggests parents are vaccinating their children at higher rates since the introduction of the federal government’s “no jab no pay” policy at the start of the year, which withholds childcare and family tax benefits from parents who do not immunise their children, according to doctors…..read more
Early childhood education is key to closing the gaps 10 February 2016
This year’s Closing the Gap report delivers a result that has become all too familiar in comparing outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians: not enough progress is being made…..read more
Australia’s fertile ground spawns a childcare boom 04 February 2016
With a volatile sharemarket, minuscule deposit rates, and looming apartment oversupply in key capital cities, childcare centres have emerged as something of an investment haven.. ……read more
After school care in Sydney: Hundreds of children stranded 02 February 2016
Parents Hundreds of children in the inner west are stranded without child care after the NSW Government failed to approve an emergency after care provider in time for the start of the school year. ……read more
Anti-vaxxers now keeping silent about kids’ immunisation status 24 January 2016
Parents who choose not to immunise their kids are keeping it a secret from family and friends, rather than have to justify their controversial decision……read more
One in five children starting school ‘developmentally vulnerable’ 17 January 2016
Research commissioned by the Australian government has found that one in five school kids is starting school are unprepared in at least one area…read more
Australian preschoolers take to Indonesian quicker than Japanese or French 12 January 2016 INDONESIAN might just be the fastest growing language among Australian preschoolers…….read more
Govt rejects $200 per day child care claims 04 January 2016
The Government is rejecting reports claiming childcare fees in parts of some capital cities – will rise above 200 dollars a day…….read more
Anti-obesity message aimed at preschoolers and toddlers 12 December 2015
PRESCHOOLERS, toddlers and even babies are being targeted by health experts in a bid to prevent any further blowout in the state’s child obesity crisis……read more
Christian Porter signals willingness to negotiate with Senate crossbench on family tax benefit changes 01 December 2015
The Federal Government says it is willing to further compromise with the Senate crossbench in order to pass the remainder of its planned changes to family tax benefits…..read more
Canberra childcare provider points to oversupply of places 21 November 2015
Canberra’s largest provider of paid childcare has claimed the city has an oversupply of more than 1300 long day care places….read more
Childcare industry fears families worse off under Government changes 09 November 2015
Childcare providers are warning the most disadvantaged children could drop out of early education….read more
High-income families to lose on childcare 02 November 2015
Families earning a combined income of over $230,000 will reportedly pay more for childcare under a new federal government plan….read more (link no longer available)
Grannies exemption doesn’t impress Labor 25 October 2015
The federal opposition has continued its attack on the government’s new families package despite the coalition indicating it could exempt grandparents from any cuts…..read more
NSW councils still unclear whether amalgamations will go ahead 16 October 2015
Mayor claims amalgamations would mean fewer council childcare centres. …..read more
Plan to tackle soaring childcare demand in Sydney’s eastern suburbs 05 October 2015
DEMAND for daycare spaces in Sydney’s eastern suburbs continues to climb, with one centre’s waiting list exploding to 1600 families. …..read more
Malcolm Turnbull moves childcare back into education portfolio 20 September 2015
CHILDCARE has been moved out of social services and back into the education portfolio in a move welcomed by the sector as recognition that early learning is an not just a welfare issue…..read more
Financial literacy and childcare changes will help women’s super 10 September 2015
Doing more on childcare and financial literacy are key elements in helping women’s retirement income, a panel agreed…..read more
Mooted ‘no vax’ NSW childcare centre slammed by health officials 04 September 2015
A northern NSW mother who wants to set up a “no vax” childcare centre has been slammed by health officials as irresponsible and dangerous. …….read more
Mums say leave crackdown devalues women 01 September 2015
Lieutenant Commander Sandra Croft has fought for Australia and now she is fighting to be able to spend six months at home with her baby…….read more
Health department cuts Sutherland Hospital child care centre because “not core business” 23 August 2015
The Koala Child Care Centre was told abruptly this week it would no longer receive payments from the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, which had been funding the centre for 25 years……read more
New ‘no jab, no play’ vaccination laws to be introduced in Victoria 16 August 2015
Victorian pre-schoolers will be banned from attending child care or kinder unless they are vaccinated… read more
Working mums to lose some or all of their government paid parental leave payments under new changes 09 August 2015
The majority are public servants. Almost 80,000 parents will lose some or all of their government parental leave payments under the changes to end so-called double dipping by workers who can access both the government scheme and an employer scheme. …. read more
G8 Education bolsters Affinity bid 03 August 2015
Child care operator G8 Education has bolstered its takeover bid for rival firm Affinity Education. …. read more
Labor looks to longer preschool hours 25 July 2015
Preschoolers might find themselves spending longer at school under a federal Labor government. …. read more
Everyday conversations loaded with learning opportunities for pre-schoolers 18 July 2015
Intentional teaching is a relatively new idea that is yet to really take hold, Professor Tayler said. But it was particularly important for those children at the lower end of the academic scale …. read more
Private schools expand into early childhood learning 12 July 2015
Private schools are descending on childcare centres to recruit their next crop of students…. read more
Trade in Services Agreement could see international childcare providers enter the Australian market 07 July 2015
A HIGHLY secretive deal being negotiated in Geneva could see giant international childcare providers enter the Australian market with more limited future government control on how they operate. .. read more
The industries set to fly and fall in 2015-16 30 June 2015
Growth in female workforce participation and strong government support for childcare providers are projected to support industry revenue growth of 12.2% in 2015-16.. read more
No Jab No Play has caused a rush to immunise 21 June 2015
The policy change has sparked a rush of parents contacting pro-immunisation groups including the Northern Rivers Vaccination Supporters group.. .. read more
NSW Government to review working with children clearances after criminals appeal against decisions 08 June 2015
Cases where people initially denied working with children clearance have had the decision overturned in court will be reviewed by the New South Wales Government.. read more
Looking inside the sausage machine: the budget is still unfair 02 June 2015
NATSEM’s analysis of the 2015-16 federal budget, the same as used by the Howard and Rudd–Gillard governments as a policy tool, has been likened by Treasurer Joe Hockey to a sausage machine.. read more
Tony Abbott’s attitude to paid parental leave sells women short 26 May 2015
Women, as the majority of primary-parents, are being sold short. The federal government’s policies to support women are vexed and send mixed messages. … read more
Australian workplace flexibility lagging 20 May 2015
A recent Ernst and Young report found women working part-time were the most productive in the workforce and recommended affordable child care as a way of enabling their careers… read more
Budget 2015: Government childcare package overlooks stay-at-home parents, Nationals say 10 May 2015
The $3.5 billion childcare plan is aimed at leaving 1.2 million families better off. But it has a heavy emphasis on encouraging increased workforce participation .. read more
Families earning over $180,000 a year could have childcare rebate reduced 19 April 2015
SCRAPPING the $7500 cap on childcare rebates that condemns parents to huge out-of-pocket costs is being seriously considered in the May budget as a trade-off to reducing the rebate for the wealthy. read more
Tony Abbott’s main chance: Childcare 14 April 2015
Why is childcare the game changer? Because childcare matters for everyone read more
Anti-vaccination parents could be refused government benefits 07 April 2015
The Federal Government is planning to change laws so that parents who refuse to vaccinate their children won’t be able to claim benefits. read more
Push for increase in childcare funding for babies and toddlers to urgently address shortage 25 March 2015
Pressure is growing on the Abbott government to fund new childcare spots for children under three years old, in a bid to fix a crisis in childcare availability. read more
Childcare: New ideas for parents and kids 17 March 2015
Ask any parent and they will say childcare is a big concern for families today – especially for new parents who are weighing up the option of returning to work. read more
Preschools seeking $4000 cash boost per child in pre-election commitments 09 March 2015
A CAMPAIGN demanding more money for preschools in NSW believes $4000 a year per child would make it easier for families to access the vital service. read more
Fact file: 11 facts about child care in Australia 04 March 2015
Following the scrapping of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s signature paid parental leave scheme, the Federal Government is now expected to turn its attention to child care. read more
Vaccinate your children or forget Government rebate for daycare 22 February 2015
PARENTS who refuse to vaccinate their children must be stripped of childcare payments unless their care is quarantined to the family home.. read more
Extending taxpayers childcare subsidies to in-house nannies in doubt over cost 16 February 2015
SUPPORT for extending generous childcare subsidies to mums and dads using in-home nannies is under a cloud, with new documents revealing the federal government is in the dark about how much it would cost taxpayers.. read more
What is really wrong with our childcare system? 03 February 2015
DIRE problems with the accessibility and affordability of childcare can only be fixed by a significant overhaul of the system. read more
Anti-vaccination group encourages parents to join fake church 28 January 2015
A controversial anti-vaccination group is encouraging people to sign up to a fake church because it may help them bypass Australia’s emerging “no jab, no play” childcare laws read more
TAFE Illawarra and Big Fat Smile childcare centres form partnership 14 January 2015
In a memorandum of understanding, TAFE Illawarra childcare students will complete work placements at Big Fat Smile centres under professional supervision. read more
Federal government to take a back seat in education? 08 January 2015
On early childhood the government is much less clear about what it considers the best path forward. read more
Comment: There is no more money for childcare 16 December 2014
I have conducted research which draws on studies of childcare from both Australia and overseas to suggest that the two main areas where the government has mandated increased minimum standards — staff-to-child ratios and staff qualifications — have no significant or consistent bearing on children’s outcomes. read more
Family day care operators will face new rules to stamp out dodgy operators 04 December 2014
The fraud clampdown will target family day care workers who swap their own children between each other and centres billing the government for phantom kids. read more
How can we improve childcare in Australia? 22 November 2014
CHILDCARE, or the lack of it, is one of the biggest issues facing Australian parents. read more
Global momentum for measuring early learning outcomes & programme quality 17 November 2014
The importance of early development for later school achievement, earnings, health and well-being has been clearly established. read more
‘Junk science’ behind criticism of quality childcare 06 November 2014
A report by a free market think tank that found little evidence to support improving childcare quality has been rejected by academics and experts. read more
A heartfelt thank you to the people who look after our kids so we can work 30 October 2014
The educators are not all technically teachers but that is what they do. They are also friends and confidants, courts of arbitration, sources of advice and inspiration and a constant and stable presence in my children’s lives. read more
Greens move to outlaw childcare centres in clubs 23 October 2014
Federal Parliament would ban child care centres from pokies clubs in Australia, under a new amendment to be announced by the Greens on Thursday. read more
Child care not as easy as ABC 20 October 2014
Getting Think Childcare to the IPO starting blocks has not been as easy as ABC it seems. read more
Early intervention key in treating children with mental health issues 11 October 2014
The Hunter Institute of Mental Health has released a federally funded guide for staff to look for early signs of mental illness in the 1 million Australian children in childcare. read more
Sitting can be a trap for children 06 October 2014
With sitting for too long considered as dangerous as smoking, research by Wollongong University has found children are inactive 50 per cent of the time when in supervised care. read more
Glut of childcare vacancies in Parramatta 02 October 2014
In Parramatta hundreds of places go unfilled, while some local government areas are still suffering from a chronic shortage of child care. read more
Male childcare workers under scrutiny from mistrustful parents 22 September 2014
Australian parents have been taking to online forums to express their mistrust of male childcare workers. read more
Growing need across Northern Districts for 24 hour childcare 17 September 2014
MIGRANT shift workers are leading the charge towards 24-hour child care which has resulted in a growing number of flexible family daycare centres popping up across the northern district. read more
Clubs offer childcare in exchange for pokie profit tax break 14 September 2014
Clubs Australia executive director Anthony Ball has written to the commission’s childcare inquiry, urging it to consider the clubs offer as a “credible solution” read more
NSW government announces report card for four-year-olds 10 September 2014
Until now, students transitioning from pre-school to kindergarten have relied on an ad-hoc reporting system run by individual schools. read more
Goulburn dangles childcare carrot in advertising campaign to lure Canberrans to the municipality 24 August 2014
Goulburn is trying to tempt Canberrans to up stumps and move to NSW, with an advertising campaign hitting the ACT where it hurts – in the childcare shortage read more
Childcare tax rules too complex 18 August 2014
What is holding back mothers who want to work from re-entering the workforce or working extra days after having children? read more
G8 Education issues debt securities offshore 18 August 2014
G8 Education has dispelled any thoughts it may be about to launch an equity raising, instead opting for an offshore issue of debt securities. read more
Childcare experts react angrily toward productivity Commission proposals 14 August 2014 Children will struggle to meet their learning potential if a proposal to water down educational standards in early childhood is adopted, experts warn read more
Childcare company G8 buys more centres 11 August 2014
CHILDCARE company G8 Education continues to buy up more centres, a strategy that has helped deliver a 48 percent jump in half year profit. read more
Childcare sector growth outpaces checks 07 August 2014
QUALITY assessments of childcare providers have a long way to go, while the sector continues to expand. read more
Childcare rebate: Productivity Commission calls for means testing, says subsidy should cover use of nannies 22 Jul 2014
The childcare rebate for families should be means-tested, with middle and upper-income families paying more than they do now, a new report into the nation’s childcare system suggests. read more
The idiot dad’s guide to better childcare 22 Jul 2014
Two years ago your correspondent was told in a Super Nanny voice: “Go straight to the timeout corner young man!” read more