Child Care News

‘We put our heart and soul into this and we’re getting shoved out the door for no reason’
Mercury - Raphaella Saroukos, NT News - November 14, 2019

Parents are planning to remove their children from Woodroffe Primary School if its beloved child care centre is evicted. Last week Territory Childcare was told its lease would not be renewed, three days after the 90 day lease notice was required to be given by the school. Territory Children co-director...

Gold Coast health: Vomit and diarrhoea bug hits the city
Gold Coast Bulletin - Kirstin Payne - November 15, 2019

Vomiting and diarrhoea bugs are hitting schools and childcare centres across the Gold Coast at a greater rate than normal, say experts. An “early summer season’’ has been blamed in part for the increase. State health authorities do not record figures for viral gastro infections, but public health physician...

Shares in childcare giant G8 Education plunge on new downgrade
Financial Review - Simon Evans - November 14, 2019

Investor confidence in Australia's largest listed childcare operator G8 Education has been shattered after a second profit downgrade in three months because occupancy rates haven't grown as fast as predicted and wage costs jumped. Shares in G8 plunged by 18.5 per cent to $2.11 by noon...

50 people charged over major family day care fraud syndicate
MyGC.com.au - Shanee Dobeson - November 14, 2019

A massive 50 people have now been charged over a sophisticated family day care syndicate operating in NSW. Detectives from the Financial Crimes Squad and Organised Crime Squad established Strike Force Mercury in July last year after receiving reports of “coordinated fraudulent activities targeting family day care operations.”

DIY childcare centre placing hardware tools in the hands of children
Herald Sun - Ashley Argoon - November 14, 2019

Kinder kids are using sharp saws, nails and hammers to build woodwork and learn about risky play in the face of increasingly risk averse societies. Childcare centres are peeling back the cotton wool and calling on kids to take risks in a fight against fear. A space for risk-taking activities has been set up...

$1.25 million for job-creating projects in Gascoyne
Mirage News - November 14, 2019

The McGowan Government has committed $28.8 million over five years towards the RED Grants program. Ngala Children’s Services has been awarded $150,000 to construct a new day care complex in the heart of Denham, providing flexible, modern, safe and multipurpose childcare for children...

Balnarring Kindergarten wins Victorian Early Years Award
Mirage News - November 14, 2019

Balnarring Preschool has been awarded at the 2019 Victorian Early Years Awards in the Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships category. The awards celebrate the exceptional contributions that individuals and organisations make to improving the learning and development...

Albury Wodonga Community College to completely withdraw from childcare
The Border Mail - Sophie Boyd - November 14, 2019

After 30 years in the sector, Albury-Wodonga Community College will stop providing childcare services entirely in 2020.

G8 Education (ASX:GEM) Gives Trading Update, Sells 25 Centres
Rask Media - Jaz Harrison - November 14, 2019

G8 Education (ASX: GEM) has provided a trading update this morning whilst also announcing the sale of some centres. G8 Education is the largest ASX listed childcare provider, it also has a handful of childcare centres in Singapore. At the end of 2018 G8 had more than...

Winner of the Townsville Bulletin’s Best Child Care Educator crowned
Townsville Bulletin - Elisabeth Silvester - November 14, 2019

CHILDREN are Goodstart Early Learning Townsville support educator Karyn Bliss’s passion. It’s this passion that’s helped her be crowned the winner of the Townsville Bulletin’s Best Child Care Educator poll, with 60 per cent of the votes. Ms Bliss has worked at the centre...

The after school care centres in the ACT that don’t meet quality standards
The Daily Telegraph - Sue Dunlevy - November 13, 2019

Tens of thousands of children are enrolled in services that have been ruled substandard, while others are on waiting lists unable to access care because schools can’t make space available. A News Corp investigation has found 1313 of the 4800 before and after...

How many childcare centres does Brisbane really need?
The Courier Mail - Brendan O’Malley - November 13, 2019

The peak body representing childcare operators came out more than a year ago to warn about a looming glut of new centres which threatened to undermine the sector. Industry giants G8 and Goodstart Early Learning earlier this year also had to issue warnings...

Aussie company offers $1k subsidy to help parents cover childcare costs
Kidspot - Madeline Cox - November 13, 2019

Although Fiona was thrilled to hear about the expanded paid parental leave and school holiday programs – there was one part of the policy that drew her attention immediately. It was the child care assistance program, which offers families a subsidy of up to $1,000 each month per child...

'I'll miss the children a lot': Peggy has worked at the same childcare centre since 1974
Sydney Morning Herald - Jordan Baker - November 13, 2019

Peggy Lane remembers when Marrickville was known for its poverty, and her days working at the local childcare centre were spent bathing children, washing their dirty clothes, and combing their hair for lice. She remembers when the hot lunch she served was all her tiny charges...

Further 11 people arrested over family day care fraud syndicate
Mirage News - November 13, 2019

Detectives investigating family day care fraud have arrested a further 11 people over their alleged role in the criminal syndicate. In July 2018, detectives from the Financial Crimes Squad and Organised Crime Squad established Strike Force Mercury to investigate the coordinated fraudulent...