Child Care News
Glenroy mum told to pay back $150k in 'overpayments'
Herald Sun - Peter Michelburough - February 2, 2018A GLENROY mum is being pursued by the federal government after refusing to pay back $150,000 in welfare payments she was not entitled to. Fatma Sleiman was paid $107,000 in childcare fee assistance and almost $47,000 in carer payments between December 2013 and May 2016...
Rising child care costs hit Perth families
Perth Now - Phoebe Wearne - February 1, 2018WA families are increasingly being squeezed by childcare costs, with a new report revealing out-of-pocket fees for full-time care have soared to $452 a week. The Productivity Commission's annual report on government services found long daycare centres cost $10 more a week on average...
Yarra Council bans staff from uttering Australia Day
Herald Sun - James Dowling - February 1, 2018THE CITY of Yarra has banned its 1000 employees, including childcare workers, librarians, and gardeners, from even uttering the words "Australia Day". A January 15 bulletin from council chief executive Vijaya Vaidyanath directed staff to refer to Australia Day as "the January 26 public holiday"...
Childcare fees bite parents who want work
SBS News - February 1, 2018Nearly 120,000 parents aren't working because child care is too expensive or they can't find a spot. The high price of child care was the top reason cited for Australians who weren't in the labour force because they were looking after children, government data released on Thursday shows. One in...
States, territories call for long-term funding for 3yo early childhood education
ABC News - Richard Willingham - February 1, 2018Every Australian three-year-old child would have access to 15 hours per week of early childhood education under a bold pitch from state governments to boost the sector. A review, commissioned by state and territory governments, also wants child care to have a greater emphasis on education...
Report reveals childcare injuries, while state falls short on school funding
Herald Sun - Ashley Argoon - Feburary 1, 2018VICTORIA calls itself the 'Education State' but it gives school students the least amount of funding in Australia, according to a new report. The report also reveals a shocking number of serious incidents in Victoria's childcare centres. One child died and almost 3000 kids were injured, or suffered...
Latest data shows Tasmania improving in some areas, lagging in others
The Advocate - Leah McBey - February 1, 2018The state had a much higher enrolment rate of 62 per cent in government pre-school services compared with the rest of the country at 17.3 per cent. More than 96 per cent of the state''s children were in pre-school. State spending on early childhood education and services has risen gradually...
Canberra families pay most for childcare, according to Productivity Commission
Canberra Times - Emily Baker - February 1, 2018Canberra families pay the nation's highest rates for childcare, despite having what appear to be the most dangerous services, according to new data. Productivity Commission data released on Thursday revealed the ACT's 354 National Quality Framework-approved early childhood services...
Tax cuts for companies, voters, as Turnbull snubs Canberra for Queensland
Sydney Morning Herald - Kames Massola - February 1, 2018Rather than making a major policy announcement, Mr Turnbull is expected to highlight policies already implemented by his government – including changes designed to make childcare cheaper and reduce energy prices, needs-based funding for schools and a tax cut for small and medium-sized...
Premier Jay Weatherill wants lower starting age on the national agenda
The Advertiser - Matt Smith - January 31, 2018CHILDREN should start school at three, a report shows, prompting calls from Premier Jay Weatherill for the issue to be placed on the national agenda. The Lifting Our Game report, commissioned by state and territory governments to explore ways to improve school results for students nationwide...
Why G8 Education Ltd shares are higher today
The Motley Fool - James Mickleboro - January 30, 2018It has been a disappointing couple of months for G8 Education Ltd (ASX: GEM) shareholders, but things are certainly looking better today. At the time of writing its share price is up 4% to $3.42. Despite this, the childcare centre operator's shares have lost 23% of their value over the last...
More children are starting school depressed and anxious - without help, it will only get worse
The Conversation - Ameneh Shahaeian & Cen Wang - January 30, 2018Starting school for the first time can be stressful. Children are suddenly thrown into a foreign environment, juggling the pressure of learning new academic skills and establishing relationships with peers. Some thrive, but others may need support through this transition. Our study...
Vic govt pledges $18m preschool upgrade
News.com.au - January 29, 2018Thousands of preschool children will benefit from an $18 million Victorian government upgrade of the state's preschool facilities. The funding will go toward 28 new metropolitan and regional projects, creating more than 3,300 new kindergarten places, the government says. "This is giving...
Businesses unprepared for new data breach notification laws
Financial Review - Yolanda Redrup - January 29, 2018"Small businesses are still required to comply if they handle personal information. Some examples are health service providers – such as weight loss agencies, gyms and alternative medicine practices – credit reporting bodies, and childcare centres," he said. "In certain ways...
Sarah Mitchell says affordability is main issue facing families sending kids to preschool
Northern Leader - Jacob McArthur - January 29, 2018NSW Minister for Early Childhood Education Sarah Mitchell visited the South Tamworth preschool and said she wanted to make sure more services were affordable for families. "We're aware that affordability is a big factor when it comes to these services," she said. "In community preschools...
