Child Care News
New childcare policy still leaves vulnerable families behind
The Conversation - Marianne Fenech - July 2, 2018But while child care policies over the past decade have improved child care accessibility and quality, families in vulnerable circumstances are still left behind. And allowing for-profit services to be the majority seems to be part of the problem. The package follows other policies introduced...
'As an early childhood educator, today's child care changes have me extremely concerned.'
MamaMia - Karen Moran - July 2, 2018I'm an early childhood educator. And today's child care changes have left me, and educators Australia-wide extremely concerned about disadvantaged children. The new child care subsidy leaves many families worse off on both ends of the spectrum, but disadvantaged families are being...
New Child Care Subsidy: I fear efforts to close the gender pay gap could suffer
Women's Agenda - Susan Templeman - July 2, 2018As new child care arrangements kick in for parents this week, Labor MP Susan Templeman fears some women will be worse off, especially if making a post-baby move from part time to full time work. There is some trepidation among parents as the start date for the new Child Care...
New childcare subsidy a slug for some parents
The Australian - Rhian Deutron - July 2, 2018Professional women who want to go back to fulltime work after having children will be hit hard by the federal government's new childcare subsidy, with many already scaling back hours because they simply cannot afford the cost of care in big cities. Jen O'Malley, a 35-year-old...
From today, I'll be paying $45 a day to go to work
Sydney Morning Herald - Renee Richards - July 2, 2018How much would you pay to go to work? I am a hospital-based physiotherapist and under the new childcare subsidy scheme that begins today, I will be required to pay $45 a day to go to work. I have one daughter in childcare, three days a week, and am on maternity...
Government targets price-gouging by childcare providers
Financial Review - Peter Durkin - July 1, 2018Education Minister Simon Birmingham has warned the government will name and shame centres ripping off parents, as the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission said it was powerless to step in unless it could prove collusion or misrepresentations about the fee increases...
Vulnerable kids tied up in red tape
Sydney Morning Herald - Jordan Baker - July 1, 2018New national childcare guidelines give centres six weeks to build a dossier of evidence to declare a child at risk, and scrap rules that gave indigenous, disabled and single-parent children priority when there was a vacancy. The document, which some centres say they received just a...
Taxes that deter mothers from working are unfair
Sydney Morning Herald - Georgina Dent - July 1, 2018The moment I tell you a household has a taxable income above $350,000 is likely to be the same moment you determine there's no case for that family to receive any government assistance. That type of income puts the household firmly in the bracket of the nation's top earners...
A childcare revolution is set to change the way we live
Sydney Morning Herald - Jordan Baker - July 1, 2018Whether parents win, lose, or are simply flummoxed by the complex new childcare subsidy system, they have one thing in common: the biggest childcare funding overhaul in 40 years will prompt Australians to review the way they juggle work and family. Around the kitchen table...
Childcare subsidy changes start tomorrow - here's what you need to know
ABC News - Julie Doyle - July 1, 2018After years of reports, inquiries, promises and delays, the massive shake-up of the childcare system finally starts on Monday. There's been a lot of political argument about whether families will be better or worse off. The Education Department estimates close to 1 million families will be...
The groundbreaking new childcare model helping parents cope with holiday juggle
Herald Sun - Susie O'Brien - July 1, 2018BABIES could be in the boardroom under a groundbreaking new childcare model helping parents cope with the school holiday juggle. A new provider, KidsCo Australia, has been hired by corporates such as Cotton On Group, Bega, Swisse, Wrigley and Liberty Financial to set up...
Will childcare changes lead to fee rises? Some operators quietly say yes
ABC News - Norman Hermant - June 30, 2018But for centres, the transition to electronic sign-in and out is expensive. Some operators estimate the costs could easily be more than $1,000 for each tablet. "We've actually had to ensure that the iPad can have the software on the system. Plus, we need internet connection and secure...
Big Brother is here as the government links your face scan to tax, health and welfare benefits
The Mercury - Sue Dunlevy - June 30, 2018YOUR face will be scanned - and then analysed - to access Medicare and childcare subsidies, the age pension, welfare benefits and pay tax online under a controversial reform. Under a Big Brother style scheme, Australians will have to provide biometric data to a controversial...
Majority of SA families to be big winners in child care reforms
The Advertiser - Matt Smith - June 30, 2018ALMOST eight in ten South Australian families will benefit from new childcare reforms to take shape this week, new figures show. Federal Education Department analysis shows that 61,480 families across the state, or around 79.3 per cent are set to benefit from a $2.6 billion...
'Shamed' out of day care, companies set their sights on NDIS billions
Sydney Morning Herald - Patrick Begley - June 29, 2018Family day-care operators whose businesses were found to be fraudulent or unsafe are now targeting the $22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme in new ventures. A Fairfax Media investigation has uncovered more than two dozen cases across four states where those with chequered...
