Child Care News
In-home childcare 'should be expanded to help shift workers'
The Guardian - Shalailah Medhora - April 10, 2015Expanding in-home childcare places now reserved for at-risk children to shift workers would increase the workforce participation rate with little cost to the government, a childcare group has said. The number of spots available for federally approved in-home childcare is capped at 5,600...
Australian Institute of Company Directors wants 30% women on boards by 2018
Financial Review - Nassim Khadem - April 10, 2015The new target comes as business leaders urge te Abbott government to look at new policies such as tax deductible child care to encourage more women back to work, and deal with the issue of there not being a sufficient pipeline of women to head company boards and CEO roles...
Changes to family day care funding sparks concern of fee hikes
ABC News - Robert Virtue - April 9, 2015A family day care service in the NSW Hunter region has warned that fees will rise, after failing to meet new eligibility criteria for federal government funding. For families struggling to make ends meet, unexpected costs can blow the weekly budget and cause pain at the hip pocket...
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison confirms families package will be rolled out gradually
News.com.au - April 8, 2015PARENTS are being reassured their childcare arrangements will not be thrown into doubt on July 1, with the federal government set to take several years to fully implement its new families package. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison has stressed working parents will be given "plenty of time"...
No more extra subsidies for expensive childcare
Herald Sun - Ellen Whinnett - April 8, 2015SUBURBAN parents who put their children into more expensive childcare are unlikely to get extra subsidies from the Government. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison is working on a "mainstream subsidy", which will be detailed in his families package announcement before the May 12 Budget...
Too many vacancies at several childcare centres becoming an issue
Daily Telegraph - Chris Georgakapoulos - April 8, 2015CHILDCARE centres have saturated the market, leading to vacancies at more than half of the centres in the Canterbury region. Canterbury Council released a report into the long-term planning of children's services, showing vacancies at 52 of the region's 80 childcare centres. It includes...
Anti-vaccination parents could be refused government benefits
ABC News PM - Bridget Brennan - April 7, 2015The Federal Government is planning to change laws so that parents who refuse to vaccinate their children won't be able to claim benefits. The Social Services Minister Scott Morrison wants to close loopholes which allow parents to claim subsidies while refusing to immunise. The benefits of...
AMA calls for government action on conscientious vaccine objectors
SBS News - Stephanie Anderson - April 7, 2015The Australian Medical Association has called for government action as new data showed the number of children registered as conscientious objectors to vaccinations is at record levels. Doctors fear diseases that belong in "history books" may make a comeback, as the number of children...
Nationals demand child care trade-off for stay-at-home mums
Financial Review - Phillip Coorey - April 7, 2015Federal Nationals backbenchers are demanding more money for stay-at-home parents in return for supporting the revamped child care package, which will be a centrepiece of next month's budget. In arguments similar to those mounted against the now-scrapped paid parental leave scheme, the...
Childcare and pregnancy remain obstacles to diversity
Lawyers Weekly - Amanda Davidson - April 7, 2015Boardroom diversity, and the progress of working women into senior roles, remains a hot topic - not just in Australia, but also globally. The issue was brought front of mind for me very recently, after receiving the Order of Australia in this year's Australia Day Honours List. Much of the...
Anti-vaxxers believe "junk science", not real science: doctor
Sunshine Coast Daily - Bill Hoffman - April 7, 2015CARROTS and education, not threats, should be used by governments to improve vaccination rates, according to the spokesman for the Australian Medical Association on the Sunshine Coast, Doctor Wayne Herdy. The personal comments from Dr Herdy come as Social Services Minister Scott...
Foundation Early Learning to boost number of centres to 100
Courier Mail - Emma Williams - April 6, 2015QUEENSLAND based company Foundation Early Learning wants to spread their brand of luxury childcare across the country, with a plan to own and operate 100 childcare centres by the end of the year. Managing Director John Wall said with over 40 years of childcare experience...
Anti-vaccination parents may face welfare bans
NEWS.com.au - April 6, 2015PARENTS who philosophically object to giving their children lifesaving vaccines could be prevented from accessing welfare payments and childcare subsidies. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed the Abbott Government is reviewing a loophole which continues to allow mums and…
Shorten backs push for affordable childcare, but foreign nannies not the solution
The Australian - Stefanie Balogh - April 6, 2015Bill Shorten has offered bipartisan support to solve the challenges of providing affordable childcare to Australian families, but says recruiting foreign nannies is not the solution. The government is considering the findings of a Productivity Commission report into childcare and early…
Call for more au pairs from Asia, as government considers extending Australian visas for live-in nannies
Sunday Telegraph - Samantha Maiden - April 5, 2015FOREIGN au pairs who earn $250 a week as live-in nannies could have the length of their working visas doubled, amid calls to tackle the childcare shortage by flying in low-cost workers from Asia. While the federal government is cautious about extending childcare rebates to nannies…
