Child Care News
Fed Govt rejects early childhood fund cut claims
Katherine Times - Chris McLennan - May 22, 2018The Federal Government has hit back at claims it had cut early childhood funding in the NT without warning. Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham said the Government was focused on making early learning and child care affordable and accessible for families and children...
Councils could ban children's books, toys and characters for not meeting gender test
Herald Sun - Susie O'Brien - May 21, 2018VICTORIAN councils are auditing libraries, schools and kindergartens and urging a ban on the terms "boy" and "girl" in a bid to teach kids as young as three to have "gender equitable relationships". City of Melbourne is among a number of local authorities responding to radical new...
NSW government to help fund training of 7000 extra early childhood workers
Nine.com.au - Eddy Meyer - May 18, 2018A major plan has been launched to attract new early childhood workers to meet a critical shortage over the next few years. The New South Wales government wants to train an extra 7000 workers in the next three years just to meet expected demand. Premier Gladys Berejiklian...
Changes to benefits concern childcare staff
The Advocate - Imogen Elliott - May 21, 2018Childcare centre staff say they're concerned parents aren't aware they must reapply to continue receiving a government subsidy. Under federal government changes the Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate will merge to form the Child Care Subsidy. The changes...
Student parents breast-feeding in toilets, missing classes: survey
Canberra Times - Sherryn Groch - May 18, 2018Out of 81 postgraduate respondents, 73 per cent rated university support for parents as very poor to average. While some shared stories of supportive lecturers allowing children in tutorials, many said they were routinely forced to miss class altogether, had been priced out of childcare...
Loving Hearts at Currumbin is Australia's most eco-friendly child care centre
Gold Coast Bulletin - Sally Coates - May 18, 2018Loving Hearts Child Care Centre was awarded an EnviroDevelopment certificate from The Urban Development Institute of Australia last week in recognition of the 42 eco-friendly features built into its innovative design. Sustainability consultant and centre designer Ben O'Callaghan said receiving...
Childcare bad for young boys
ABC Radio - Afternoons with Liz Trevaskis - May 16, 2018In his latest book "Raising Boys in the 21st Century", an updated version of his hugely popular "Raising Boys", author Steve Biddulph flags his concerns about childcare on young boys. The retired psychologist says the science confirms delayed neurological development in boys, which can mean...
Childcare centre fetches $9.5m
Sydney Morning Herald - Simon JOhanson - May 16, 2018A new childcare centre at 1066 Centre Road leased until 2042 has sold for $9.5 million, one of the biggest such sales of the year so far. The centre has a permit for 139 places in a 1,002 sq m building with 988 sq m of outdoor play area, CBRE's Kinson Wong, Josh Twelftree, Sandro...
Federal budget failed to dazzle women, but election campaign might
Sydney Morning Herald - Nassim Khadem - May 15, 2018There have been numerous calls for tax deductible childcare (with caveats) and/or other employer-driven tax incentives for childcare. KPMG, for example, has recommended moving move away from a family or joint income test for childcare benefits. It says childcare should...
TAFE training opens opportunities for teachers and students
Central Western Daily - Danielle Cetinski - May 15, 2018A memorandum of understanding signed with Guangdong Open Education Co will allow TAFE teachers to deliver aged care and early childhood masterclasses to Chinese teachers and the Central West will play host to teachers and students on study trips. An agreement...
Burgess Rawson's Adam Thomas says SA is in vanguard of childcare centre demand
The Advertiser - Richard Evans - May 15, 2018CHILDCARE assets are generating a sales frenzy with attractive yields helping keep South Australia to the fore of a boom sector, says a Sydney based industry expert. Eleven national childcare property assets were sold at auction within a 10-day period from the beginning of May...
Literacy and numeracy push sidelining play in early years
Sydney Morning Herald - Pallavi Singhal - May 14, 2018Professor of education at the University of Sydney Michael Anderson said that students who are left behind by the age of eight tend to struggle throughout school, but that promoting creativity, communication, collaboration and critical reflection is often more important in the early...
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull axes $20 million fund to pay for quality checks in childcare industry
Daily Telegraph - Kylar Loussikian - May 14, 2018DODGY childcare operators could be let off the hook after the Turnbull government quietly axed a $20 million fund which paid for the roll-out of more quality checks. The move, confirmed in official letters obtained by The Daily Telegraph, comes after the exposure of shocking...
Bain doubles down in childcare, buys Little Learning portfolio
Financial Review - Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald & Julie-anne Sprague - May 14, 2018Private equity giant Bain Capital will bolster its premium childcare business Only About Children with a chunky bolt-on acquisition. Street Talk understands Bain's Only About Children is about to acquire 20 centres owned by rival operator Little Learning School in a deal expected...
Shinetime Early Learning and Kindergarten: Parents shell out deposits but given no open date
Herald Sun - Emma-Jayne Schenk - May 14, 2018Parents are furious and demanding answers after paying deposits of up to $3000 to an Elwood childcare centre that has never opened despite accepting enrolments for more than four years. The Shinetime Early Learning and Kindergarten website states it is "taking applications now"...
