Child Care News
One Mayfield Childcare Limited (ASX:MFD) Analyst Just Made A Major Cut To Next Year's Estimates
Yahoo News - Simply Wall St - June 14, 2020Today is shaping up negative for Mayfield Childcare Limited (ASX:MFD) shareholders, with the covering analyst delivering a substantial negative revision to this year's forecasts. Both revenue and earnings per share (EPS) estimates were cut sharply as the analyst factored in the latest outlook ...
The first Aboriginal preschool in Alice Springs
Alice Springs News - John P McD Smith - June 14, 2020The First Aboriginal preschool in Alice Springs was established by the Anglican Church in 1953. Father Percy Smith and Lucy Britain who worked for the church became concerned that Aboriginal children who lived in the town area of Alice Springs did not have access to preschool education...
As fee-free childcare comes to an end, there are growing calls to rethink how the sector is funded
The Canberra Times - Sarah Lansdown - June 13, 2020When the streets went quiet and life as we knew it stopped, it was a relief for Emily Flint to be able to continue to take her daughter to a long daycare centre in Narrabundah…
The government's decision to end free childcare is an attack on the working woman
The Canberra Times - Opinion Crispin Hull - June 13, 2020In the past week, the Coalition government has slowly but inconsistently wound back the concessions it made in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. It said it would end free childcare but would continue tax concessions to business. This is the Coalition going back to its old tricks of helping well-off businesses...
Free childcare 'good for parents, but not good for us', workers say
The Age - Bianca Hall - June 12, 2020When free childcare was introduced, Veronica's income dropped by $650 a week. Veronica*, who runs a family day care service in regional Western Australia, says the emergency measure – introduced to keep childcare and family day centres afloat during the coronavirus pandemic – was disastrous for her...
Labor's Josh Willie says program should be rolled out faster
The Examiner - Sue Bailey - June 12, 2020The Government and Labor are at odds over the roll out of an early learning program. Labor education spokesman Josh Willie says the Working Together program, capped at 120 hours, should be rolled out faster to help more children, their families and the childcare sector. However...
Labor senator Catryna Bilyk says comments were "insulting and outrageous slurs" against early childhood educators
The Examiner - Sue Bailey - June 12, 2020A suggestion that parents should stay home and look after their children and not use childcare has outraged a Tasmanian Labor senator, unions and a leading childcare provider. Senator Catryna Bilyk, a former early childhood educator, said Queensland Liberal Senator Gerard Rennick's comments...
SA childcare industry braces for the next twist on the rollercoaster
In Daily - Belinda Willis - June 12, 2020Like every sector of the South Australian economy, the state’s childcare centres have been on a difficult and twisting journey this year. Here’s how they see the months ahead playing out as government policy again takes a sharp turn. Free childcare ends next month and the state’s childcare centres...
'They are thriving': Free childcare boosted access for disadvantaged and Indigenous kids
The Sydney Morning Herald - Fergus Hunter - June 12, 2020Childcare attendance among disadvantaged, vulnerable and Indigenous children has surged to higher than normal levels during the fee-free coronavirus period and advocates are warning the gains could be undone when the old model returns next month. The federal government's $1.6 billion...
What we're beginning to understand about preschool kids and their digital devices
ABC Radio National - Antony Funnell for Future Tense - June 12, 2020They may not be able to read, write or use a keyboard, but research by Australia's eSafety Commissioner suggests around 81 per cent of Australian preschoolers now regularly use the internet. Early childhood researcher Susan Edwards says the arrival of the touch screen proved a game changer...
Waiting list for Bayside Council's new child care centre opens next week
St George & Sutherland Shire Leader - Jim Gainsford - June 12, 2020Garrigarrang Early Education and Care Centre, the new child care centre owned and managed by Bayside Council, is expected to open in early 2021. "Families can now get onto the waiting list for this state-of-the-art centre which will provide a much needed service for the local community," ...
DESE clarifies position on “opting out” of Transition Payments for ECEC services
The Sector - Lyndsie Clark - June 12, 2020The Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) have clarified their position on whether early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are able to “opt out” of the Transition Payment funding scheme to raise their fees and if they were to “opt out” whether they would be still eligible...
'I could not do what they do': lockdown breeds renewed respect for early childhood educators
The Guardian - Shelley Hepworth - June 12, 2020Spending more time with his daughter has been a silver lining of the pandemic but it’s also prompted Robert Merkel to reflect on how Australia values its childcare professionals. When Robert Merkel was enjoying a cycling trip through the remote high country of Victoria in early February...
NT educators welcome end of Federal Government’s free childcare scheme
NT News - Sarah Matthews - June 12, 2020Territory childcare workers have welcomed the ending of the Federal Government’s free childcare scheme next month, saying it was not sustainable for the industry long-term. The $1.6 billion scheme, which was announced in early April and provided free child care for all parents...
Gradual childcare reform can deliver better outcomes for everybody
The Sydney Morning Herald - Editorial - June 11, 2020Parents with young children have been on a roller coaster ride of emotions in the past few months as they try to keep up with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on childcare. When the pandemic hit, about 50% of parents pulled their kids out of care because of the risk of infection...
