Child Care News
Queenie's Little Book of Comfort helping child victims of family violence
ABC News - Natalie Whiting - July 5, 2017The scourge of domestic abuse has become a national talking point, but including some of the youngest victims in that conversation is difficult. Two early childhood educators from Tasmania, Judi Rhodes and Tanya McQueen, were struck by the lack of resources to help. So they made one themselves...
Labor opposes proposed merger between out of school hours care centres
ABC News - Stephanie Borys - July 4, 2017The Federal Opposition is calling for a proposed merger between two out of school hours care providers to be scrapped. Camp Australia, which was recently acquired by the US-based investment firm Bain Capital, is looking at merging with before and after school care provider Junior Adventures...
Inspectors find one-third of centres failing checks
Daily Telegraph - Natasha Bita - July 3, 2017ONE-third of the state's family daycare operators have been shut down in the past year for flouting child safety rules. Childcare inspectors found failures at every one of the 412 centres checked since the start of last year. And the Education Department has been forced to close or suspend 119 operators...
Australian-first laws to reverse onus of proof for institutions in child sex abuse cases
ABC News - Richard Willingham - July 3, 2017Victims of child abuse will be able to sue organisations that employed abusers more easily under Australian-first laws that take effect in Victoria today. The new state laws would stop religious institutions, community organisations, childcare facilities and government bodies that look after children from...
Au pair visa: Government considers flexible deal to ease childcare burden
The Daily Telegraph - Sharri Markson - July 1, 2017A SPECIAL au pair visa to help make childcare more affordable and flexible - and enable mothers to return to work - is being considered by the Turnbull government. Immigration and Border Protection Assistant Minister Alex Hawke is looking at proposals for a special au pair and carer visa, allowing...
Short courses short-change students, says ASQA
The Australian - Julie Hare - June 30, 2017Mandated competency based vocational qualifications across a range of industries and rapacious private providers are driving an alarming shift to unduly short and low-quality courses. Child care, aged care, security, equine program, construction "white" cards and adult training and education were all...
Your child is hurt at kindergarten ... what next?
WA Today - Alison and Jillian Barrett - June 30, 2017When we leave our children in childcare, we trust that they'll be kept safe and sound. More often than not, our children are safe. But sometimes an incident or injury gives parents cause for concern. When this happens, who is held accountable? The Commonwealth has established a National Quality Frame...
Parents fear price rises, quality cuts as Bain dominates after-school care
Sydney Morning Herald - Michael Evans & Alexandra Smith - June 29, 2017The traditionally community-owned before-and-after school care sector is under siege with an American private investment firm gobbling up more than a quarter of the national market as it targets profits from another heavily government subsidised sector. Bain Capital, a Boston-based private...
Law partners opt for four-day work week
Financial Review - Joanna Mather - June 29, 2017The numbers are still small but Australian law firms do harbour a population of partners who are genuine part-timers. For some, childcare is the key motivator. Others are making a lifestyle choice. But one thing is for sure – that day spent out of the office is everybody's favourite part of the week. Wotton + Kearney...
Holes still apparent in ACT reportable conduct scheme to prevent child abuse
Sydney Morning Herald - Katie Burgess - June 28, 2017Schools, child care centres and health providers will be forced to report all child abuse allegations to the ACT Ombudsman from this Saturday. However the ACT's new reportable conduct scheme does not cover church organisations, Scout groups, sporting clubs or dance schools, despite...
Census 2016: If only the ABS asked the right questions
Sydney Morning Herald - Peter Martin - June 28, 2017In some ways the census questions about childcare and unpaid domestic work are worse. We are invited to answer yes or no: "Did the person spend time looking after a child without pay." We are invited to pick a range of hours in answer to the question: "Did the person spend time doing unpaid...
Investor cops Woolworths loss as commercial property sentiment flags
Financial Review - Larry Schlesinger - June 28, 2017Two childcare centres in Melbourne and Geelong were passed in, as was a hostel in Richmond near the CBD, a Melbourne 7-Eleven petrol station and an Officeworks in Mildura. But childcare centres in Port Douglas and Mount Barker sold under the hammer while another in Keilor Downs, Melbourne...
Strong demand for Sydney childcare assets holds up at Burgess Rawson auctions
Financial Review - Su-Lin Tan - June 27, 2017Investors showed their support for childcare centres once again, with sub-4 per cent yields achieved at Burgess Rawson's auction in Sydney on Tuesday. Demand for childcare centres is strong, particularly for inner-city areas such as Vaucluse and Chatswood, and it has spread into Sydney's north-west...
Working mums use holiday time to care for kids with colds and flu
News.com.au - Cara Jenkin - June 27, 2017MUMS are being forced to use their annual leave to get out of work and care for a family member who is sick with a cold or flu, because dads are not using their sick/carer's leave to do it. A third (33 per cent) of mums still admit to feeling sad, guilty, stressed and anxious about their decision to...
Children can use smartphones but can't tie shoelaces
News.com.au - Chris Honnery - June 27, 2017PRE-SCHOOLERS are more likely to be able to use a smartphone than tie their own shoelaces as parents increasingly outsource what was once a basic life skill. Working mums and dads are struggling to keep up with teaching their kids basic life skills and children as old as eight can't tie up their shoes...
