Child Care News
Abbott Government may drop $840m preschool program
Herald Sun - Ellen Whinnett - June 22, 2015THE Abbott Government is considering abandoning its $840 million program that guarantees four-year-olds get 15 hours of preschool a week. The move would cut about $97 million of annual preschool funding to Victoria, and could see teachers sacked, students' guaranteed hours reduced...
Opinion: Family Tax Benefit cut ignores huge home workload that some carry
The Courier-Mail - Amanda Sheehan - Jun 22, 2015In contrast, the Abbott Government's proposal to cut Family Tax Benefit (B) when the youngest child turns six instead of 16 is like a slap in the face. It sends the message that women are more valuable in the workplace than at home raising children. But who has the right to make that call?...
Preschool teaching children about environmental sustainability
Sydney Morning Herald - Andrew Brown - June 21, 2015The NSW Early Childhood Environmental Education Network wants to see the program expanded to all early-learning centres across the state. The group's convener, Julie Gaul, said learning about the environment was as important in the early-learning curriculum as literacy and numeracy...
No Jab No Play has caused a rush to immunise as anti-vaccine lobby turns desperate in the face of defeat
Sunday Telegraph - Jane Hansen - June 21, 2015The policy change has sparked a rush of parents contacting pro-immunisation groups including the Northern Rivers Vaccination Supporters group. "Anecdotally we’ve had quite a few contact us, people are starting to question their previous anti-vaccination stance and seek out more..."
Every second family with kids will lose
The Australian - Natasha Bita - June 18, 2015The National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling at the University of Canberra has found that cuts to family tax benefits, combined with higher childcare subsidies, will leave 44 per cent of families out of pocket. Poorer families would be hardest hit by the proposed changes, which are...
Child care costs may rise under Scott Morrison's proposed changes to payments, say operators
Daily Telegraph - Alex Lewis - June 16, 2015CHILDCARE centres may "jack up their prices" if proposed changes to the industry are adopted, a north shore operator has warned. West Pymble Kindy Kids general manager Fiona Goode raised her concerns during a visit by Social Services Minister Scott Morrison to her centre last...
Popular preschool apps failing to educate kids, study finds
Herald Sun - Monique Hore - June 16, 2015POPULAR tablet applications that claim to educate children are failing to teach them anything, research has found. The study found that only 18 of 200 of the most popular preschool applications in the Apple App Store claimed to be developed using "educational expertise". Less than 6 per...
Abbott plans $18m childcare advertising campaign despite Senate roadblock
The Age - Adam Gartrell - June 14, 2015The Abbott government plans to spend the equivalent of $22,000 a day to advertise its new childcare assistance package between now and its 2017 launch. While the government is yet to secure enough Senate support to pass its $3.5 billion "Jobs for Families" package, it has put aside...
Kids' culture clubs: Childcare focus on personal development
Daily Telegraph - Claire Bickers - June 14, 2015Experts have noted big childcare changes in the past five years, following the introduction of national regulations, the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards. Dawson Ruhl, chief executive of early childhood education support agency Child Australia, said...
Wealthy families ditch the nanny for the governess
Sydney Morning Herald - Eryk Bagshaw - June 13, 2015"We have a lot of high-profile clients in Australia who still prefer nannies," she said. That preference is likely to be exacerbated when the full impact of the Abbott government's nanny bonus comes in 2016. The $246 million program is expected to pay for 4000 nannies to look after 10,000 children...
The tyranny of the white picket fence: Abbott government can't be serious about encouraging women in the workforce
Sydney Morning Herald - Anne Summers - June 12, 2015The government seemed to be on track to deliver the kind of sound policy that women had been yearning for: policy that would enable them to have kids, spend some time bonding with their babies after birth while retaining that vital attachment to the workforce and then having childcare...
Hey Mr Treasurer, what constitutes a good job?
Sydney Morning Herald - Luke Hilakari - June 12, 2015This week, teachers, nurses, childcare workers and others stepped forward in defence of their professions to criticise Hockey's comments. Many pointed out that their work - though not high-paying - is necessary and valuable. They noted that they cannot simply abandon their careers...
Why women really work
News.com.au - Jacinta Tynan - June 11, 2015That is why childcare rebates and (and childcare places) are so essential. It's not only about assisting parents to put food on tables (as vital as that is) but about retaining skilful women in the workforce who might otherwise see no option but to bail. The last budget sent working mothers...
Workers underpaid by $360,000: Sydney childcare staff could not pay rent
Sydney Morning Herald - Anna Patty - June 11, 2015A western Sydney childcare operator has been fined for underpaying his staff more than $360,000 which left some of them struggling to pay their rent and utility bills. The Fair Work Ombudsman has released details of Sydney businessman Mark Edward Myles who was fined $28,900 in the...
Govt committed to family tax benefit cut
News.com.au - June 10, 2015THE federal government will keep an unpopular plan to cut family payments to fund childcare measures, but is open to possible changes. More than half a million households stand to lose the Family Tax Benefit Part B when their youngest child turns six under plans stalled in parliament...
