Child Care News
Cheaper childcare could reverse record low fertility rate: economists
Financial Review - Ronald Mizen - December 8, 2021Leading economists are urging the federal government to spend more on childcare and early childhood education to boost female participation in a tightening labour market and unshackle economic growth. The call comes as the birth rate fell to the lowest...
Closing community-run childcare means another blow to women
Women's Agenda - Pennie Brown - December 8, 2021Last week, the City of Port Phillip council, in the inner south of Melbourne, voted unanimously to move forward with their plan to sell off the buildings and effectively close three community-run childcare centres operating in St Kilda, Elwood and Balaclava...
New childcare centre approved for koala bushland at Bahrs Scrub in Logan
The Courier Mail - Madeline Grace - December 8, 2021A childcare centre has been approved by a judge, after a south-east Queensland Council declined it due to the site bordering on a wildlife corrirdor and koala bushland. In June 2019, Adpen Investment from the Fortitude Valley lodged a development application...
Lisarow: $6.5m plans for childcare and medical centre on Newling St
The Daily Telegraph - Fiona Killman - December 8, 2021Plans are underway for a $6.5m mixed-use development in the heart of Lisarow. A proposal has been lodged with Central Coast Council by Printban Pty Ltd for a three storey development to include a medical centre and childcare centre at 121 Newling St...
Premier pushes for NSW to take control of early childhood education
The Sydney Morning Herald - Lucy Cormack - December 7, 2021Premier Dominic Perrottet will call for NSW to take control of childcare and early childhood education from the federal government in a speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday. In a lunchtime address, Mr Perrottet will argue that the way education is...
Primary and secondary teachers with Cert III to count as ECTs, ACECQA says
The Sector - Freya Lucas - December 7, 2021The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has extended and amended transitional measures relating to recognition as an ‘equivalent early childhood teacher’ until the end of 2023. Effective 1 January 2022, a person who holds ALL...
Every child in NSW to access preschool thanks to $840 million funding deal
The Australian - Duncan Murray - December 6, 2021Every child in NSW will be able to attend preschool under a historic new deal delivering $840m in funding for families. The federal government’s national preschool reform agreement - which NSW has become the first to sign - will help provide children with...
NSW Preschool Reform Agreement
NSW Government - Joint media release by the Hon. Stuart Robert MP and the Hon. Sarah Mitchell MLC - December 6, 2021Historic agreement secures $840 million in preschool funding for NSW families. Families with young children in NSW will have better access to high quality pre-school and early childhood education due to an historic agreement between the Commonwealth...
We need to make Australia a better place to be a child, and raise one
The Sydney Morning Herald - By Leslie Loble and Travers McLeod - December 6, 2021Australian families spend more as a share of their income on early childhood services than almost anyone else in the world, but we are ranked sixth-last in developed countries for how well we support our children. The people we brought to the table came from vastly...
Early childhood educators 'underpaid, undervalued'
The Lighthouse - Melinda Ham - December 6, 2021More than 200,000 early childhood educators in Australia are among the country’s lowest paid workers, earning $1000-$1425 a week, with many clocking up unpaid hours to make up for the lack of trained staff. Crucial role: Research shows the critical importance...
COVID-19 vaccines have been provisionally approved in Australia for children aged five to 11. Here is what we know
ABC News - Tom Lowrey - December 6, 2021From early next year, children as young as five will likely begin being vaccinated against COVID-19. Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine has been provisionally approved by Australia's medical regulator and only has a few small hurdles left before it is given the all-clear...
Early childhood centre closures predicted because of mandatory staff vaccination
The Courier Mail - Kay Dibben - December 4, 2021Many short-staffed early childhood education and care services will have to close or turn away families if a mandatory staff vaccination deadline is not extended, an industry organisation has warned. Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland president, Majella Fitzsimmons...
NSW makes changes to Teacher Accreditation Act in response to Royal Commission findings
The Sector - Freya Lucas - December 2, 2021The Teacher Accreditation Act 2004 has been amended in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, with the changes also impacting those who are early childhood teachers in NSW. The changes are designed to ensure...
Mackay childcare: Kool Beanz Academy joins Gold Coast Suns to build four new centres
Townsville Bulletin - Rae Wilson - December 1, 2021A bold vision for new early learning centres is expected to create more than 100 local jobs and inject more than $16m into Mackay’s economy. The centres would aim to provide specialised care and education for up to 50 children living with special needs, specifically Autism...
COVID vaccination mandate for Queensland schools, childcare won't prevent disruption, border reopening on track despite Omicron
ABC News - Baz Ruddick - December 1, 2021Parents have been warned to prepare for another COVID-disrupted year at school and childcare in 2022, despite a state government vaccine mandate for staff. From December 17, all staff and volunteers in schools and early childhood centres will be required to have...
