Child Care News
Four Sydney schools closed over COVID
aap.com.au - August 29, 2020Four Sydney schools have closed because of COVID-19 infections, as NSW records 13 new cases of the virus and the number linked to the Sydney CBD gym cluster grows to 14. “NSW Education has been advised by NSW Health that a ... staff member at the Cubbyhouse Childcare ...
Investors snap up child care centres and development sites for higher returns
The Sydney Morning Herald - Carolyn Cummins - August 29, 2020Investors are in the market for higher yielding brick and mortar assets in the lower-for-longer interest rate environment. Early learning centres, service stations, convenience stores and bank branches remain on the top of the list, together with sites that have development potential...
What do students need in the age of lockdown learning? Early lessons from New Zealand’s online frontline
The Conversation - Cheryl Brown, Associate Professor of e-Learning, University of Canterbury - August 28, 2020Walking into my building just prior to New Zealand’s most recent heightened alert levels, I found students and staff alike were cramming in a last bit of social contact before the one metre rule came into effect. I passed post-grad students on the stairs popping onto campus ...
One in five young children living in poverty in Australia: Curtin University
The Sydney Morning Herald - Jennifer Duke - August 28, 2020One in five young children are living in poverty, with rates in Queensland and Western Australia worsening despite the mining boom depositing billions of dollars into government coffers over the past decade. The proportion of children under five in poverty rose to 21.4% in QLD and ...
Loddon Shire Council endorses long day care recommendation at August meeting
Bendigo Advertiser - Tara Cosoleto - August 28, 2020The Loddon Shire Council has endorsed a recommendation to establish long day care services in the shire. The council considered the childcare feasibility study and business case at its August council meeting. The report, written by community wellbeing director Wendy Gladman...
Childcare, medical centre plans lodged to redevelop former City of Ballarat community centre
The Courier - Michelle Smith - August 28, 2020The former Kohinoor Community Centre in Ballarat Central is set to be redeveloped into a childcare centre and medical centre...
New childcare and kindergarten provider secured
Mirage News - August 27, 2020Chiltern will have a new provider of kindergarten and childcare services post 2020. North East Regional Preschool Association (NERPSA) has been named the preferred provider following months of advocacy for the continuation of the services by the Chiltern community...
Childcare centre with 61 places and 10 staff planned for Orange
Central Western Daily - David Fitzsimons - August 27, 2020A childcare centre with places for 61 children is proposed to be built in Kearneys Drive...
Experts call for low-cost child care to stay after coronavirus crisis
Canberra Times - Sarah Landsdown - August 27, 2020Early childhood education should be free or low-cost to help Australia bounce back from the coronavirus crisis, sector advocates and Australian National University researchers say. New analysis of 156 Australian COVID-19 policy responses conducted by the ANU Menzies Centre...
Police finalise case against daycare workers charged over boy’s death
The Daily Telegraph - Grace Mason - August 27, 2020THE court case against two daycare workers charged over the death of a toddler has been adjourned until next month. The body of Maliq “Meeky” Namok-Malamoo, 3, was found inside a mini bus, with police alleging he was left inside it for six hours on February 18 when staff...
PEP studies up on schools supplier Modern Star; UBS on ticket
Financial Review - Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Tim Boyd - August 25, 2020Australian buyout bigwig Pacific Equity Partners is in talks to buy the country's biggest supplier of educational resources to schools and childcare centres, Modern Star. PEP, which has form investing in the education sector, has made an offer to Modern Star owner Navis Capital...
Australians 'hanging in' with G8 despite cut to free childcare
Financial Review - Liam Walsh - August 24, 2020G8 Education says the removal of free childcare during the coronavirus pandemic has had less impact on the sector giant than expected. The comments came as Gold Coast-based G8, the largest private sector childcare operator with 475 centres trading under brands including...
Scheme to boost early education
The West Australian - Danielle Raffaele, North West Telegraph - August 24, 2020A targeted program to produce more qualified early childhood educators is set to boost capacity at daycare facilities in a region where parents have been affected by agonising waiting lists. The $800,000 Thriving Futures program will be rolled out in the Pilbara to increase...
“I am a part of a forgotten sector” this special education teacher’s ordeal during the pandemic
SBS Insight - Anonymous Contributor - August 24, 2020With Victoria’s second outbreak of coronavirus taking place, schools in the state have moved to remote and flexible learning for the second time this year. This special needs teacher reveals how she has felt unsupported during the pandemic. "I’m a special needs teacher in Victoria...
Gold Coast childcare giant releases $239m half-year loss, says it cannot release guidance due to ongoing market uncertainty
Gold Coast Bulletin - Alister Thomson - August 24, 2020Gold Coast-based childcare giant G8 Education has unveiled a $239 million first-half loss and flagged that it will exit its Singapore operations. The Gary Caroll-led company, which operates child care centres under brands including Sandcastles and Jellybeans, this morning released...
