Child Care News
Childcare centre owners sound alarm as state and federal governments clash over coronavirus bailout
ABC News - Conor Duffy - March 28, 2020Desperately needed healthcare workers could be forced to stay home to care for children unless immediate action is taken to rescue the childcare sector, according to operators who are warning of an imminent industry collapse. "The industry, the entire sector, the profession, we're in crisis," ...
Coronavirus: Pemulwuy Children’s Centre mum tests positive
The Daily Telegraph - Joanne Vella, Parramatta Advertiser - March 28, 2020A mother who visited Pemulwuy Children’s Centre twice in the past two weeks has tested positive to coronavirus, potentially infecting scores of families. Cumberland Council has temporarily closed the Newport St centre, where the parent visited while she had COVID-19...
Coronavirus case: Wattle Grove Early Education & Care Centre closed
The Daily Telegraph - Cindy Ngo, Liverpool Leader - March 28, 2020A council-operated childcare centre in Liverpool has been closed for deep cleaning after a parent was diagnosed with COVID-19, as the number of people testing positive for the virus soars above 100 in the region. Wattle Grove Early Education and Care Centre was closed on Wednesday...
Coronavirus and kids: Separating fact from fiction
7news.com.au - Kelly Burke - March 28, 2020Super immune or super spreader? Parents navigating the mixed messages surrounding coronavirus and its effect on children have some justification in feeling frustrated and worried. Here is the latest on what we know about kids and COVID-19. The theory that kids are immune...
Childcare, OOSH sectors facing collapse, fear they will never recover
The Sydney Morning Herald - Jordan Baker - March 27, 2020Four out of five childcare centres are on the brink of collapse and the out of school hours care industry fears it may never recover from the COVID-19 crisis, with both sectors being told they must wait for financial relief until the government orders them to close. The Early Learning...
Ministers consider support for childcare
Nine.com.au - By AAP - March 27, 2020Education ministers will consider the plight of childcare centres faced with falling numbers of children and the prospect of closure as families heed the message to keep socially distant and slow the spread of coronavirus. Federal minister Dan Tehan says he is aware of the challenges...
Coronavirus: Canberra childcare centres would close without federal government subsidy says YWCA Canberra
The Canberra Times - Lucy Bladen - March 27, 2020Childcare centres face being made insolvent if the federal government does not issue subsidies to the sector, according to one Canberra provider. YWCA Canberra chief executive Frances Crimmins said the organisation's early learning childcare centres across Canberra had ...
Early Childhood president Ros Cornish says some centres have had half their children withdraw
The Examiner - Sue Bailey - March 26, 2020Tasmania's 290 child care centres are struggling as parents who have lost their jobs withdraw their children. Early Childhood Australia Tasmanian president Ros Cornish said there had been a massive withdrawal of children from centres in the past two weeks. In some childcare centres ...
Platform gives teachers a chance to help health workers stay at work
Brisbane Times - Peter Hannam - March 26, 2020For Alex Flavel, a casual relief teacher, Tuesday's abrupt closure of Victoria's schools to stem the spread of coronavirus cost him work but also created an urgent need to assist healthcare workers with children to keep them at their posts. Fortunately, thanks to a collaborate effort...
Tehan interview signals additional COVID-19 measures being explored for ECEC
The Sector - Jason Roberts - March 26, 2020Federal Minister for Education, Dan Tehan, has signalled that in addition to the first round of ECEC dedicated support measures announced 23 March, his government continues to explore other measures that may help the early childhood education and care sector (ECEC) weather the challenges...
MEDIA RELEASE: Sector on verge of collapse
Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland - March 26, 2020Over 400,000 Queensland parents are facing the immediate (and potentially permanent) collapse of early learning (childcare) services, as providers fight to keep their doors open for the sake of the 300,000 Queensland children and the 25,000 educators who care for them...
Childcare centres on brink of collapse as one in three families flee over gap fee
The NewDaily - Samantha Maiden - March 26, 2020Parents are being forced to pay thousands of dollars in childcare fees during the coronavirus crisis or lose their spots, prompting a mass exodus of one in three families over the past week. Childcare centres have warned they are on the brink of collapse after parents...
"To my kids' childcare, thanks for making them so happy during this hell"
Whim - Eliza Cracknell - March 26, 2020Educators have been thrust to the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis, and for that I thank them. On Wednesday it was my eldest son’s third birthday. I had originally planned to take the day off, but times have been a little stressful so thought it better to work. Which meant come Wednesday...
Parents are being forced to pay THOUSANDS in fees or risk losing highly-sought after childcare spots as coronavirus pandemic pushes many centres to the brink of collapse
Daily Mail Australia - Isabelle Stackpool - March 26, 2020Parents are being forced by struggling childcare centres to fork out thousands of dollars in fees or risk losing their spots. Centres are charging up to $100 a day for absent children as the coronavirus pandemic pushes many to the brink of collapse. United Workers Union director...
Statement on childcare - ACECQA
Mirage News - March 26, 2020The current expert medical advice is that the child care sector should remain open except where individual services have been directed to close by health authorities. The Government is aware of the challenges facing the Child Care sector because of reduced attendance...
