Child Care News

The 'grandmother hypothesis' is playing out in my living room
Sydney Morning Herald - Jamila Rizvi - March 22, 2019

Both parents work in two thirds of Australian families with children aged under 15. Child care is hugely expensive, even after government subsidies, with 40 per cent of families spending more on child care than the weekly grocery shop. Reliance on grandparent support...

Plea for new NSW Government to fix “chronic childcare supply issues”: ACA NSW
The Sector - Lyndsie Clark - March 21, 2019

The New South Wales Government needs to intervene to fix “chronic” oversupply issues relating to the state’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) services, the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW branch has said. “We have a triple whammy situation at the moment...

Launch into Learning releases ECEC report card ahead of NSW election this weekend
The Sector - Freya Lucas - March 21, 2019

New South Wales voters who are passionate about early childhood education and care (ECEC) can take advantage of a report card, prepared by the Early Learning and Care Council of Australia (ELACCA), to support them in understanding commitments...

Election 2019: It’s Game On for the Women’s Vote
Women's Agenda - Kristine Ziwica - March 21, 2019

Also last week, the Economist released its’ latest glass ceiling index, which indicated that overall progress towards gender equality in Australia had stalled, and the report placed the blame for that squarely at the feet of this country’s paid maternity and paternity leave...

Sexual assault rates against children hit 10-year high in Victoria
Sydney Morning Herald - Craig Butt and Tammy Mills - March 21, 2019

That same year, Victoria made it mandatory for teachers, psychologists and childcare workers to report suspicions of child sex abuse, as well as sexting or inappropriate...

Childcare centre for Mont Albert North rejected again by Whitehorse Council
Herald Sun - Serena Seyfort - March 21, 2019

A contentious proposal to build a childcare centre in Mont Albert North has been rejected by Whitehorse Council for a second time - against the advice of planning officers. Councillors refused Folkestone Funds Investment Limited’s application for 451-453 Belmore Rd...

Two Goodstart Early Learning Centres forced to close permanently
Townsville Bulletin - Madura McCormack - March 21, 2019

DOZENS of Townsville parents have been forced to find new childcare spots for their kids after Goodstart Early Learning revealed two of its flood-affected centres would close their doors permanently. The Goodstart Early Learning Centre at Hermit Park and Village Drive...

Legislation on No Jab, No Play policy affecting early childhood education being introduced
News.com.au - Brad Crouch - March 20, 2019

No Jab, No Play legislation being introduced to state Parliament on Thursday will allow the state’s Chief Public Health Officer to prevent unvaccinated children from going to early childhood services in the event of an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease. Early childhood services...

State Government calls for 3.5% wage increase
The Courier Mail - Domanii Cameron - March 20, 2019

THE Palaszczuk Government has called for a 3.5 per cent increase to Australia’s minimum wage. Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the submission, which was made to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review, supported a $25.17 pay rise each week...

Finally, the before and after school care conundrum is a NSW election issue
The Conversation - Angela Priestley - March 20, 2019

Any working parent of kids in primary school knows the problem well: how do you work a standard eight hour work day, while juggling the drop offs and picks up associated with a standard six hour school day? And how do you manage the school holidays...

‘Overdevelopment’ causing gridlock in narrow, dead-end street
The Courier Mail - Brian Bennion - March 20, 2019

RESIDENTS of a small dead-end street at Cannon Hill fear they will be parked out around the clock after a childcare centre and a five-storey apartment complex were approved by council. Councillor Kara Cook (Morningside) has asked for the apartment complex at Andrews St...

Time to buy some babies? Childcare stocks might be worth a look this year
Stockhead - Rachel Williamson - March 20, 2019

If Labor wins the federal election, pencilled in for around May 18, the childcare sector may become a lot more interesting for investors than it was last year. Federal Labor is proposing to guarantee 15 hours a week of free childcare at state kindergartens for three and four year olds...

Kids need more play to excel in STEM, new study hopes to prove
Daily Telegraph - Lanai Scarr - March 19, 2019

Exclusive: If our kids want to have better jobs and be smarter in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, they need more play. That’s what a game-changing $3.2 million, five-year study by researchers at Monash University is hoping to prove...

Gastro outbreak across childcare centres prompts NSW Health warning
Blue Mountains Gazette - Eva Kolimar - March 19, 2019

NSW Health has issued an alert to parents and carers of young children about after a rise in viral gastroenteritis cases. The warning has been prompted by outbreaks at childcare centres across NSW and a high number of children aged under five seeking treatment...

Wife of former Dragon charged with $330k fraud from employer
Sydney Morning Herald - Shannon Tonkin - March 19, 2019

The wife of former St George Illawarra winger Reece Simmonds has fronted court accused of misappropriating hundred of thousands of dollars from a NSW south coast child care business. Mother-of-three Belinda Simmonds is facing 35 dishonesty charges...