Child Care News

Representation matters: Children with disabilities ‘visible’ through inclusive toys
HelloCare - Amy Henderson - February 9, 2022

Ignored for decades, disability representation hasn’t largely been at the forefront of commercial toy manufacturing. Now, however, small and large businesses are pivoting to the rising demand for diversity on the shelves. Responding to the significant gap in...

Australian childcare 'in crisis', as new figures show 11 per cent need special federal government waiver to legally operate
ABC News - February 9, 2022

Australia's childcare sector is emerging from the Omicron wave in "crisis", with more than one in 10 centres needing a government waiver to legally operate because they do not have enough workers. New figures from the Education Department show that 11.2 per cent...

Rapid testing expanded for children at preschool and daycare
Riverine Herald - Max Stainkamph - February 8, 2022

The Victorian Government will expand its rapid antigen testing scheme to include early childcare settings for children aged three to five years during the next week-and-a-half. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said having more information about positive COVID-19...

‘New opportunities’: How one school dumped the traditional 9-3 day
Brisbane Times - Jordan Baker - February 8, 2022

St Luke’s Catholic College, a kindergarten to year 12 school in Marsden Park, opens at 6.30am and closes almost 12 hours later. When formal classes finish at 2.40pm, primary aged students can stay for “master classes” run by teachers at after-school care. On Fridays...

NQS Quality Rating gains steady for 3rd consecutive quarter as post COVID bump stalls
The Sector - Jason Roberts - February 8, 2022

The percentage of all early childhood education and care (ECEC) services rated as meeting or exceeding the National Quality Standard was steady for the third consecutive quarter according to the latest Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)...

Murrindindi Shire Council seeks FDC educators to combat ECEC shortages
The Sector - Freya Lucas - February 8, 2022

Victoria’s Murrindindi Shire Council is seeking local community members, parents and people from neighbouring Shires to consider joining Council’s Murrindindi Family Day Care (FDC) service as an Early Years Educator to address the lack of available early childhood education...

NQS Quality Rating gains steady for 3rd consecutive quarter as post COVID bump stalls
The Sector - Jason Roberts - February 8, 2022

The percentage of all early childhood education and care (ECEC) services rated as meeting or exceeding the National Quality Standard was steady for the third consecutive quarter according to the latest Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)...

Free rapid tests for pre-school children as Victoria records 9785 new COVID-19 cases
The Age - Cassandra Morgan - February 8, 2022

Victorian children aged three to five will be offered two free rapid tests a week to use before childcare or kindergarten under a non-compulsory expansion of the state government’s back-to-school plan. On Tuesday, Premier Daniel Andrews announced free rapid antigen...

‘Bold’ women’s reform on agenda for next NSW state budget
Financial Review - Finbar O'Mallon - February 7, 2022

Improving access to childcare and reworking school hours – something flagged by the government last year – are among the items that may be addressed in June’s budget. Premier Dominic Perrottet has not promised a blank cheque but says the government will implement...

High caseload measures for schools and childcare
WA Government - February 7, 2022

High caseload protocols for schools and childcare settings will be introduced from Tuesday 8 February, to help manage the higher number of COVID-19 cases while minimising the transmission of the virus on these sites. In line with the high caseload settings announced...

More information about NSW $500 OSHC voucher scheme provided
The Sector - Freya Lucas - February 7, 2022

The New South Wales Government has provided further information, advice and support for the outside school hours care (OSHC) sector following last week’s announcement that all NSW families with a child enrolled in a before and after school care (BASC) service...

LDC centres opening at slowest rate in five years according to latest ACECQA snapshot
The Sector - Jason Roberts - February 7, 2022

The growth in supply of new long day care (LDC) centres across Australia rose just 3.1 per cent year on year, the slowest rate of growth in five years, according to the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority’s (ACECQA) latest NQF Snapshot although...

Treat child wellbeing like women’s safety: call for cabinet to make kids a priority
The Sydney Morning Herald - Katina Curtis - February 7, 2022

Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds says there’s an “overwhelming weight of evidence” for the benefits of investing in early childhood, both for children’s wellbeing and economic upsides, but the difficulty has been in getting governments to act.“It’s quite hard...

Staff and children in preschool and childcare aren't being protected like in schools. We need a national plan
ABC News - The Conversation, Thea van de Mortel - February 5, 2022

By late January, more than 400 early learning centres were closed across the country due to the Omicron wave, and many more were running at reduced capacity. Anxiety about kids' safety is leading many parents not to send their child to preschool or childcare...

ACT parents paying more but getting less flexibility as childcare costs rise
The Riotact - Lottie Twyford - February 5, 2022

ACT parents might be paying the highest fees in the country for childcare, but they are still faced with the least flexible system. According to the latest Report on Government Services from the Productivity Commission, parents are forking out $610 for 50 hours of childcare...