Child Care News
Major NFP early learning provider calls for more support for multi-service charities
The Sector - Freya Lucas - April 8, 2020Uniting NSW.ACT has called on the Federal Government to offer further support for registered charities who provide early learning education and care (ECEC) and additional services, who are excluded from the ECEC Relief Package announced last week. While the package has supported...
Childcare – If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
Mirage News - April 8, 2020The Government’s $1.6 billion CoVid-19 childcare package will decimate family day care providers across the State, both city and bush, if it continues, says Mark Banasiak, MLC of the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party. The package has been advertised by the Federal government...
New best practice resource to boost communication in young children launched
The Sector - Freya Lucas - April 8, 2020Communication, curiosity and conversation are all key predictors of young children’s success later in life, according to best practice resources on early childhood education recently launched in Brisbane, with the backing of Social Ventures Australia-backed education not-for-profit...
‘Crippling’: Missing detail in PM’s childcare scheme destroys centres
Yahoo Finance - Anastasia Santoreneos - April 8, 2020All essential workers with children will be given free childcare during the coronavirus pandemic, the Prime Minister revealed last week – but the nuts and bolts of the announcement could send childcare workers broke. According to the scheme, around one million families will be...
Labor 'very worried' about excluded teachers, childcare workers
SkyNews - April 8, 2020The shadow education minister told Sky News Labor would move amendments to the legislation today, but conceded they will not stand in the way of the bill passing. "You've seen with teachers, with universities, with tafe, with childcare, with hospitality, there's a broad range of the...
Childcare centres across Sydney set to close because of federal package
The Sydney Morning Herald - Angus Thompson - April 7, 2020Sydney councils are shutting their childcare centres because of a federal promise to make the crucial service free for families within days of the new measure coming into force. In a letter to parents on Monday, Cumberland City Council general manager Hamish McNulty said the council had...
From May 1 only children, parents and staff who’ve had flu vaccine can enter early childhood care centres
Gold Coast Bulletin - Emily Toxward - April 7, 2020Flu vaccines will be compulsory for children attending early childhood and learning centres from May 1. The new rule will also apply to parents and staff. But it’s unlikely parents and educators will be able meet the deadline as there’s a known national shortage of the influenza vaccine...
Free childcare scheme brings both gain and pain
St George & Sutherland Shire Leader - Murray Trembath - April 7, 2020The operator of childcare centres at Kirrawee and Bexley says the federal government's move to make the service free will "save the industry" even though some private operators will be financially disadvantaged. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the COVID-19 relief package...
Childcare centre closed after worker tests positive to COVID-19
The Age - Aisha Dow - April 7, 2020The health department is working to identify people who came into contact with a Melbourne childcare worker who tested positive to COVID-19 this week. Families whose children attend the Guardian centre in Brighton East were told that an educator developed flu-like symptoms...
Central Coast coronavirus: Childcare case confirmed as 3-year-old
The Daily Telegraph - Fiona Killman, Central Coast Express Advocate - April 7, 2020A three-year-old child has been revealed as the confirmed COVID-19 case from Woodport Early Learning Centre in Erina – and the coast’s youngest case. However, the centre is likely to avoid the virus spreading, with the child not attending the Woodport Cl centre since March 16...
Family day care could be forced to close despite reforms, Bendigo provider warns
Bendigo Advertiser - Tom O'Callaghan - April 7, 2020Family day care services favoured by 70,000 Australian families are at risk unless the government rethinks parts of its free childcare package, a network of educators has warned. Ignite Minds' network of educators working out of their own homes across Bendigo and central Victoria ...
'Don't forget us': Glen Dhu Children's Services viability in doubt
The Examiner - Frances Vinall - April 7, 2020Glen Dhu Children's Services owner Mel Reid fears for the future of her business, after it was rejected for a state government Covid-19 support loan. The federal government will cover 50% of an early childhood education centre's costs as well as staff costs through the $1500 fortnightly Jobkeeper ...
Clarification delivered about ECEC Relief Package for FDC and IHC services
The Sector - Freya Lucas - April 7, 2020Family day care (FDC) and In-home care (IHC) services have received clarification about the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Relief Package following the 2 April announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan regarding the ...
ECA explains role in ECEC Relief Package responding to sector speculation
The Sector - Freya Lucas - April 7, 2020Early Childhood Australia (ECA) released a statement yesterday outlining its role within the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, and influence on governmental decision making. The peak advocacy body told readers that ECA had received “a lot of comments” since the announcement...
Child care business operators, educators says government’s plan for free childcare for essential workers is ‘heart-breaking’
The Townsville Bulletin - Cameron Bates, The Herbert River Express - April 6, 2020A north Queensland educator who runs her own family daycare business has lambasted the Federal Government’s new plan for free childcare for essential workers, labelling it “absolutely heartbreaking”. Kirstin Tamburin said that under the plan her income would drop by 50%...
