Child Care News
45,000 council jobs in the balance as local govt sidelined
Government News - Judy Skatssoon - April 5, 2020Local Government NSW says many essential services, including childcare, are under threat in the state because councils aren’t eligible for the JobKeeper allowance, which provides employers with $1,500 a fortnight per employee. LGNSW president Linda Scott says council-run childcare centres...
Rule requiring children to attend last enrolment day of childcare will be suspended as of April 6
The Advertiser (SA) - Rebecca DiGirolamo, Jade Gailberger - April 5, 2020An “illogical” childcare rule that forces parents – including those unemployed by the pandemic – to pay full, unsubsidised fees if a child fails to attend their last enrolment day will be partly suspended by the Federal Government from Monday. Parents who took their children out of care...
Hunter working families relieved by COVID-19 childcare package
Newcastle Herald - Josh Leeson - April 5, 2020The uncertainty surrounding childcare amid the COVID-19 pandemic has weighed heavily on Adamstown working mother Elisa Phillips. As a registered nurse with 14 years clinical experience in emergency departments, her workload at the Mater Hospital has increased in preparation...
Surviving not thriving in early education and care
YouTube - Lisa Bryant - April 4, 2020A video looking at how Australian Child Care Subsidy supported education and care centres will fare from the COVID-19 Commonwealth package.
Childcare centres threaten to slash numbers to stay afloat
Sunday Mail - Annika Smethurst & Brad Crouch - April 4, 2020Childcare centres are threatening to slash the number of children they care for by more than half in order to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, the Morrison Government said it would temporarily replace the childcare subsidy with free childcare for parents who need it...
Early childhood education centres still in doubt
The Examiner - Frances Vinall - April 4, 2020Northern Children's Network general manager Maggie Wilson said the sector was caught on the back foot by the Prime Minister's announcement of free childcare. Early childhood education centres have been in a state of uncertainty with many parents choosing to keep their children...
Morrison's childcare decision points to a larger strategy
Canberra Times - Nicholas Stuart - April 4, 2020One of those critical decisions Scott Morrison's making is whether children should attend childcare. On this issue, as with so many others, the PM has a firm position. "What we have always said in the health advice has been very clear and it has not changed", Morrison insisted on Thursday...
Coronavirus and the free childcare decision - how COVID-19 changed the Government's mind
ABC News - Conor Duffy - April 4, 2020It was just one week ago that state education ministers came together in furious agreement on a childcare bailout package, a proposal ultimately rejected by Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan. Political preferences aside, the states were united in the view that the Commonwealth had neglected...
These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week
The Motley Fool - James Mickleboro - April 4, 2020The G8 Education Ltd (ASX: GEM) share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 last week with a whopping 70.1% gain. The childcare centre operator’s shares rocketed higher after the Federal Government announced a support package for the childcare sector. This includes free childcare ...
Childcare centres report surge in bookings as school kids stay home
The Sydney Morning Herald - Jordan Baker - April 3, 2020As Catholic schools bring holidays forward and attendance at public schools drops to five per cent, the early learning sector is surging with families sending children back to childcare after the federal government waived fees. The conflicting messages about the safety of school and childcare...
Some childcare centres fear rescue package will actually put them under
The Sydney Morning Herald - Fergus Hunter and Anna Prytz - April 3, 2020Childcare sector leaders have moved to assure the vast majority of centres they will be looked after by the government's sweeping COVID-19 relief package, which was designed to keep the threatened sector afloat but could leave some services significantly worse off. The package ...
‘A disaster’: childcare services may be forced to close despite government funding due to pandemic
The Guardian - Daniel Hurst - April 3, 2020Some childcare services may face closure or staff cuts, despite the Australian government’s pledge to scrap fees for parents during the coronavirus crisis, according to operators. The operator of a long day care centre described the situation as “a disaster” while a family day care provider said ...
Urgent COVID-19 clarity needed for preschool sector
Mirage News - April 3, 2020The Morrison Government’s $1.6 billion package providing free childcare for parents is welcome news for the Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector but still leaves urgent questions which must be clarified for the preschool sector. The government’s announcement also included $453.2 million...
Childcare centres under threat by new funding plan
Local Government NSW - Media Release - April 3, 2020Council-run childcare centres may be forced to shut down under a new Federal Government funding package because the local government workers are still not eligible for JobKeeper payments. LGNSW President Linda Scott is seeking urgent clarification from the Government to ensure council-run early childhood...
Unpacking the new ECEC Relief Package - What does it mean for your service?
The Sector -Jason Roberts - April 3, 2020The latest package will effectively see the existing Child Care Subsidy system suspended for 12 weeks, and a new system based on fortnightly payments of a fixed amount paid directly to a service by the Commonwealth Government. The new payment mechanism has been designed...
