Child Care News
Tony Abbott reframes paid parental leave scheme as 'holistic families package' following 'community concern'
ABC News - Jane Norman - December 8, 2014Prime Minister Tony Abbott has acknowledged there has been community concern about his multi-billion-dollar paid parental leave scheme, and says it will be re-worked into a "holistic families package". Mr Abbott said yesterday that he and his ministers would spend the summer...
Paid parental leave changes: Will 'tweak' have any impact?
The Australian - Judith Sloan - December 7, 2014THE Prime Minister has announced yet another tweak to his treasured paid parental leave scheme. Tony Abbott was a bit vague on the details, but removing high paid women from the scheme and providing more money for childcare were mentioned. He intends to follow the recommendations...
New federal government regulations will put more scrutiny on family day care
Daily Telegraph - Laren Wilson - December 7, 2014HOME-based day care networks will be required to register in every state they operate in, and day care workers will be banned from sending their kids to other centres. The crackdown comes amid fears some suspect services are using state borders to avoid scrutiny, and some are using the...
Arena REIT wins backing for spin-off
The Australian - Ben Wilmot - December 6, 2014CHILDCARE centre owner, the $324.8 million Arena REIT, will look to boost its development pipeline and consider shifting into other areas of social infrastructure after yesterday winning support to spin off from its Morgan Stanley-owned manger. The group’s investors yesterday approved...
Evolve shares climb 7% on NZX debut
The Age - Suze Metherell - December 5, 2014Shares of Evolve Education Group have risen seven per cent on the childcare business's NZX debut after its initial public offer raised $NZ132.3 million ($A123.17 million). The stock first traded at $NZ1.07, up from its $NZ1 offer price, and valuing the company at $NZ189.5 million....
Dodgy family day care operators facing tough new laws
The Australian - Patricia Karvelas - December 4, 2014DODGY family day childcare services exploiting "legislative loopholes" costing millions will be dealt with by tough new laws. Assistant Minister for Education Sussan Ley has announced the Government's plan to make changes to Commonwealth Family Assistance Law as part of its...
Family day care operators will face new rules to stamp out dodgy operators
Courier Mail - Lauren Wilson - December 4, 2014EXCLUSIVE: Dodgy childcare operators reaping millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies face a crackdown from today under tough new federal government rules. The fraud clampdown will target family day care workers who swap their own children between each other and centres billing the...
Tony Abbott's PPL under the microscope in childcare overhaul
The Australian - David Crowe - December 4, 2014A LOOMING overhaul of childcare funding will be used to reshape Tony Abbott's controversial paid parental leave scheme, as ministers review flagship policies in response to a sinking budget outlook. The government has begun work on changes to the Prime Minister's signature PPL policy...
G8 Education set to beat earnings, dividend forecasts
Financial Review - Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Jake Mitchell - December 03, 2014Small-cap fund managers struggle to recount the last time a company went into a trading halt when it had good news to report. But it has happened with G8 Education. G8's five-person board met on Tuesday and the directors thought it prudent to go into a halt while management came up with...
Indiana Hicks: Daycare death could force childcare industry to develop written policies on sleep and rest
Courier Mail - Brooke Baskin - December 02, 2014THE death of a little baby in daycare on Queensland's Sunshine Coast could force childcare industry operators to develop written policies on sleep and rest time to prevent more deaths. Baby Indiana Rose Hicks was five months old when she was found not to be breathing and lying tummy down...
Childcare fees: Why city families pay more for childcare
Sunday Telegraph - Samantha Maiden - November 30, 2014CHILDCARE fees in Australian cities' CBDs are rising by 10 per cent a year - twice the rate of fees in regional areas. New research has revealed a growing divide between the city and the bush on childcare fees. Underlying the massive task ahead for the Abbott Government as it prepares...
Juggling paid work and childcare
The Age - Zoe Gray - November 29, 2014The study revealed that 44 per cent of Australian workers are juggling paid work and childcare, and nearly 20 per cent are caring for an elderly person or someone with a chronic illness or disability. It also indicated that those combining two types of caring responsibilities, for example caring for...
Why some grandparents don't want to be exploited as unpaid nannies
The Australian - Nikki Gemmell - November 29, 2014WANDERING the neighbourhood one Monday morning, I came across an elderly acquaintance weeping beside a garbage bin overflowing with nappies and weekend mess. It was the look of a woman who'd had enough. She was swamped, overwhelmed; had no one to lift her burden...
Education and care workers' passion awarded
Canberra Times - November 28, 2014Some of Canberra's most passionate childcare, early learning and after-school care workers have been recognised for their contributions to education and care in the ACT. The Communities@Work bi-annual ACT Education and Care Gala Awards on Friday night celebrated the achievements...
Cap'n Abbott and crew must get shipshape
Herald Sun - Ellen Whinnett - November 28, 2014After Parliament rises, the Government will respond to a Productivity Commission report into the nation's childcare and early education funding. It’s likely that response will see a simplification of subsidies and payments, and more subsidies for nannies and childcare in the home...
