Child Care News
New ‘no jab, no play’ legislation on way to boost immunisation rate
The Advertiser - Brad Crouch - December 6, 2019Children who are not immunised will be turned away from child care and kindy — but not school — under “no jab, no play” legislation to be introduced when state parliament resumes next year. The tough stance, with only narrow exemptions compared to the three other states with similar policies...
New childcare centre for Throsby
The Canberra Times - December 6, 2019One childcare centre closes in Canberra, another opens. Last week saw the shock closure of the Deakin Early Education Centre; this week saw a happier event - the opening of the (totally unrelated) Wonderschool childcare centre in Throsby. The 80-place centre was launched on Wednesday night...
Mums can book a place for kids
The West Australian - Sam Jones, North West Telegraph - December 6, 2019Childcare services in Port Hedland have long been an issue of contention, with wait lists longer than iron ore trains, but major progress was made recently in a bid to reduce chronic shortage. The Town of Port Hedland approved day-care organisation One Tree Len Taplin’s takeover of the former ...
Selected early childhood centres to provide free hours to eligible kids
The Advocate - December 6, 2019Seven North West early childhood education services are among those chosen to take part in a program providing up to 400 hours of free pre-school to eligible children. The program will be rolled out across 20 Tasmanian early childhood education centres from next year...
Union wins entitlements due to northern Tasmanian child carers
The Examiner - Sue Bailey - December 6, 2019A union has won nearly $20,000 extra in entitlements for two early childhood educators who worked for a northern Tasmanian childcare centre which closed. United Workers Union spokeswoman Jannette Armstrong, said the low paid educators faced an employer "trying to wriggle out of paying their legal...
ACA National urges caution around enrollment incentives as ECEC competition grows
The Sector - Freya Lucas - December 6, 2019The national branch of the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) has called for caution in relation to the use of marketing and incentives for early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres to increase enrolments to their service, concerned about breaches of a variety of laws and policies...
Think shareholders vote to proceed with creation of new incubator using staple structure
The Sector - Jason Roberts - December 6, 2019At a scheme and general meeting held yesterday shareholders of Think Childcare have agreed to proceed with a proposed scheme of arrangement whereby the equity of Think Childcare (TNK) and a new entity Think Childcare Development (TND) will be stapled together and in effect...
CCS legislation update passes Senate – Full list of changes and implementation timetable
The Sector - Jason Roberts - December 6, 2019A new Bill which aimed to simplify the legislation that governs the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) was introduced to Parliament by Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan in September 2019 and after its third reading, passed through the Senate this week. The Bill, known as the Family Assistance Legislation...
Cutting red tape for families
Mirage News - December 5, 2019Families sending their children to child care during the school holidays will find it easier to get help through the Morrison Government’s Child Care Package. Legislation passed the Senate today that will amend the Child Care Package legislation, cutting red tape for families and child care providers...
Many schools close, cancel playtime and sport because of poor air quality
The Sydney Morning Herald - Julie Power - December 5, 2019For two weeks without a break, kindergarten children at a south-western Sydney public primary school have not been allowed to leave the classroom to protect them from unhealthy thick smoke outside. "Imagine what it is like keeping 19 little ones inside," said kindergarten teacher Leanne...
First in English, then Punjabi: Inside our bilingual kindergartens
The Age - Michael Fowler - December 5, 2019When manager Kathy Hillier surveyed parents last year on what second language they'd like taught at Tarneit Central Kindergarten, the majority said French. Ms Hillier applied and was approved for funding to teach half of the children's 15 hours weekly in French as part of the state government...
Young and old put pen to paper
Shepparton News - Ed McLeish - December 5, 2019A blend of youth and experience was on show at Balaclava Child Care Centre, as seven Banksia Lodge residents went to visit 20 kindergarten kids for morning tea. Last year, the children and elderly citizens participated in a pen pal program, where younger pals would share their interests...
Barossa Valley Community Kids, Tanunda, celebrate 30th anniversary
Barossa Herald - December 5, 2019Long-standing non-for-profit childcare centre Barossa Valley Community Kids (BVCK) celebrated a significant milestone on Sunday, November 24. It has been 30 years of operation for BVCK so a Community Open Day and party was held to mark the occasion. The event saw representatives ...
ECA says 3-year-old preschool is the key to changing student performance long term
The Sector - Freya Lucas - December 5, 2019The decline in the academic performance of Australian school children, as shown in the latest release of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, should be a driver for urgent action in the early learning sphere, Early Childhood Australia (ECA) has said. As a result ...
Goodstart announces an end to public holiday charging in ECEC sector first
The Sector - Freya Lucas - December 5, 2019Goodstart Early Learning, the largest provider of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia, will no longer charge families on public holidays, ending a long-standing sector practice in what has been termed “a win for the nation’s parents.” CEO for the Group, Julia Davison...
