Child Care News

Hundreds of Vocation private training college graduates forced to hand back qualifications
ABC News - Josie Taylor - April 22, 2015

Private training college Vocation has been forced to recall more than 1,000 of its qualifications including hundreds in child care and aged care after Victorian regulators found the courses were sub-standard. Almost 200 students who completed a Certificate III in Child Care, 250 students...

Childcare benefits our whole society
The Age - Jessica Irvine - April 22, 2015

Libertarian Senator David Leyonhjelm poked a hornets nest this week by suggesting childless Australians should not be forced to subsidise childcare. "Having kids is not a social service that governments should subsidise, it is a choice," he said. Courageous man. He is right in one sense...

Childcare groups warn Scott Morrison to tread carefully with nanny program
The Guardian - Shalailah Medhora - April 21, 2015

The government should "tread very carefully" when setting up a pilot program for publicly subsidised nannies, childcare groups have warned. The social services minister, Scott Morrison, last week indicated the government would roll out a trial for including nannies in its childcare package...

Prospect of higher costs spook investors in G8 Education
The Courier Mail - Jenny Rogers - April 21, 2015

SHARES in G8 Education were the worst performer on the ASX 200 on Tuesday after the Gold Coast-based childcare centre operator warned it faced higher costs. The company, which owns 455 centres, says it expects costs to rise by around three per cent, or $2 to $2.20 per child...

Staff ratio changes will see childcare costs rise again in 2016
The Courier Mail - Lauren Wilson - April 21, 2015

CHILDCARE fees are predicted to rise by another $10 a day from the beginning of next year, when centres will be required to take on more staff as a consequence of Labor's National Quality Framework. While Social Services Minister Scott Morrison continues to develop the federal...

Funded nanny pilot program given green light
Sydney Morning Herald - Judith Ireland - April 20, 2015

The Abbott government will make funding for nannies available under a pilot program that will target people in remote areas and on shift work and is likely to roll out later this year. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison does not want to make nannies a "mainstream alternative" to…

Childcare kids more likely to develop social, emotional and behavioural problems
Brisbane Times - Jorge Branco - April 20, 2015

An Australian-first study finds students of childcare centres are potentially better prepared for school but more likely to develop social, emotional and behavioural problems. The Queensland University of Technology research found kids in centre-based care academically outperformed...

Australia needs to fix management pipeline to get female CEOs
Financial Review - Annalisa Haskell - April 20, 2015

And why are we so keen to: a) push the merits of fitting careers around having families, rather than force the adult discussion (finally!) as to how childcare system is a necessary support for everyone's careers or b) sell the populist "work part time" mantra. Anyone with business...

Families earning over $180,000 a year could have childcare rebate reduced
Sunday Telegraph - Samantha Maiden - April 19, 2015

SCRAPPING the $7500 cap on childcare rebates that condemns parents to huge out-of-pocket costs is being seriously considered in the May budget as a trade-off to reducing the rebate for the wealthy. The rebate cap has emerged as a nightmare for parents ­because, as soon as families...

Childcare subsidy reform could see 100,000 families out of care
Sydney Morning Herald - Judith Ireland - April 19, 2015

The childcare sector is concerned that up to 100,000 Australian families may have to pull their children out of childcare because of tough new requirements about the number of hours their parents will need to work to get childcare subsidies. The Abbott government is considering a...

Child vaccination rates focus of $26 million Federal Government budget package
ABC News - Susan McDonald - April 19, 2015

The Federal Government has unveiled a $26 million package aimed at boosting vaccination rates among children as part of next month's budget. The money will be spent on incentive payments for doctors who vaccinate overdue children, a national vaccination register and a communication...

Abbott government closes religious loophole for children's vaccinations
Sydney Morning Herald - Judith Ireland - April 19, 2015

The Abbott government has closed another loophole on children's vaccinations, ending a religious exemption that allowed Christian Scientists to get childcare benefits and not vaccinate their kids. Last week, Social Services Minister Scott Morrison announced that parents would no longer...

Having children is a personal choice that shouldn't be subsidised, says David Leyonhjelm
Sydney Morning Herald - Lisa Cox - April 19, 2015

Australians who do not have children should not be forced to subsidise those who do, according to Liberal Democratic senator David Leyonhjelm, who says he will not support increased childcare rebates. Senator Leyonhjelm has made the comments as the government is just weeks away...

Abuse classes in child care
The West Australian - Angela Pownall - April 19, 2015

Children as young as three need to be taught how to deal with the threat of sexual abuse, according to a WA educator. After years of educating schoolchildren about sexual abuse, Holly-ann Martin is now taking her work into childcare centres. Ms Martin, who runs child protection...

Female workforce participation: key is childcare, not babysitting
Sydney Morning Herald - Emma Alberici - April 18, 2015

Part of the solution is childcare, but we need to call that what it really is: early learning and care. It is not babysitting. International research confirms that 80 per cent of a child's development happens in the first three years of life. By the age of four, 92 per cent of the brain is formed...