Child Care News
‘Uneven recovery’ as household budgets pulled in all directions by COVID-19
Sydney Morning Herald - Jennifer Duke - January 27, 2021EY chief economist Jo Masters said the impact of government policy, including the reintroduction of childcare fees and HomeBuilder, was “evident across a number of categories” affecting the overall index. “The uneven nature of the economic recovery is highlighted by the large divergence...
Anthony Albanese hoses down talk of caucus ructions and confirms a weekend reshuffle
ABC News - James Elton and Laura Tingle - January 27, 2021Mr Albanese said he would also announce new policies "in coming weeks" and at the ALP's national conference in March, and defended his focus to date on his signature promise to remove caps on childcare subsidies. He said the childcare reforms would be "transformative"...
Fizzled Blue Sky a lesson in need for transparency: short-seller
Financial Review - Jonathan Shapiro and Liam Walsh - January 27, 2021One investor who says he put more than six figures into a Blue Sky fund for a childcare operation was disappointed with the outcome, which was a return of 1.2 times invested capital, or 4 per cent annualised. That was despite the fund being projected to have returns of more than...
Child care costs in Sydney & Brisbane now the highest they have ever been
Women's Agenda - Georgie Dent - January 27, 2021It is irrefutable proof that the current subsidy model for early childhood education and care has failed to keep out of pocket costs manageable for families. Australian parents pay some of the highest fees in the world for early childhood education and care and just this week families...
Alceon names co-heads of PE business
Financial Review - Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Tim Boyd - January 27, 2021“Alceon’s dynamic and flexible deal-based approach continues to deliver attractive opportunities such as the acquisition of the 20 per cent stake in Think Childcare and subsequent offer for that business.” Alceon is facing off in a bidding war against Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan-backed....
40 scholarships awarded to NSW early childhood educators
The Sector - Freya Lucas - January 27, 202140 scholarships, worth up to $20,000 each, have been awarded to early childhood educators in New South Wales under the 2020-21 Early Childhood Education Scholarships Program. The Scholarships Program has been designed to make it easier for more people to commence or upgrade...
FULL LIST: Frightening number of childcare centres failing safety standards
Herald Sun - Susie O’Brien - January 27, 2021More than one Victorian childcare provider a week is shut down or censured for serious failings in their care of children. Children have escaped from childcare, been disciplined inappropriately, denied their dignity, cared for by criminals, housed in unsafe premises and exposed...
NSW Health urges parents to check childhood immunisations are up-to-date before school
The Leader - Merryn Porter - January 25, 2021Parents and carers are being urged to ensure their child's immunisation schedule is up-to-date before they start the school year. NSW Health's Director of Health Protection Richard Broome said while the NSW vaccination rate was high, some children have missed important vaccines...
Stocks expected to dip on US data leads
The Australian - Lachlan Moffet Gray - January 25, 2021CommSec chief economist Craig James said the figures were unlikely to indicate any change to the subdued rate of inflation. “The CPI is expected to have lifted by 0.9 per cent in the quarter, boosted in large part by childcare costs,” he said. “In annual terms the headline measure...
The Back to School task which may have been missed – check vaccination history
The Sector - Freya Lucas - January 25, 2021With many parents busy preparing to send children back to preschool and school this week, some for the first time, Federal Government ministers have added an extra item to the “to do list” – check children’s immunisation records for conditions such meningococcal, measles...
Inflation likely ended 2020 still subdued
Yahoo News - Colin Brinsden - Economics and Business Correspondent - January 24, 2021The CPI in the June quarter fell by a record 1.9 per cent, largely as a result of weak oil prices and the federal government's scheme to make child care free in the face of the pandemic. It sprang back by 1.6 per cent in the September quarter as the free child care scheme ended...
Scholarships Help Our Youngest Learners Put Their Best Foot Forward
NSW Liberal - January 24, 2021The youngest learners in NSW will benefit from additional educators, thanks to 40 scholarships awarded today to early childhood educators. The 40 scholarships are worth up to $20,000 each, awarded under the 2020-21 Early Childhood Education Scholarships Program...
How to prepare your child for their first day of school
Canberra Times - Sarah Lansdown - January 24, 2021University of Canberra associate professor of psychology Dr Vivienne Lewis said the last week of holidays should be spent getting back into a regular routine. "Make sure that they're getting used to going to bed at a reasonable time, that they're getting enough sleep, and they're getting up...
Why you shouldn’t overreact to your child’s pandemic weight gain
Financial Review - Virginia Sole-Smith - January 24, 2021Last northern spring, scientists predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic might contribute to a rise in children’s body weight, because of school closures and families hunkering down with comfort foods, lacking access to healthful meal options and exercising less. Yet while we know that childhood...
‘Families are making a choice’: Concern as preschool enrolments drop during pandemic
A Today - Mary Ward - January 23, 2021Preschool enrolments have dropped for the first time in years in NSW, causing concern children may be missing out on the benefits of early education as parents working from home opt to mind them themselves. Enrolments for all preschool-eligible children for 2021 fell 2 per cent last year, a reversal of the steady growth that has been recorded since 2016...
