Child Care News
Defence conducts study into effects of aircraft noise on children's hearing at RAAF childcare centres
ABC News - Xavier La Canna - November 27, 2014Children exposed to loud noise even once could have their hearing damaged, a hearing expert says, as a study begins into the impact of jet aircraft noise on kids in childcare centres on Air Force bases. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) said it was conducting a study at childcare centres on...
Time for a new path to equality, says public health advocate Fiona Stanley
Sydney Morning Herald - Michael Gordon - November 26, 2014Australia needs to dramatically "scale up" its investment in early childhood and parental support to underpin the country's future prosperity, says public health advocate and former Australian of the Year Fiona Stanley. Professor Stanley says she is "appalled" that Australia did not submit data...
Workplace gender equality report presents case for action
Sydney Morning Herald - Michael Gordon - November 24, 2014From almost the moment Tony Abbott announced it, his generous paid parental leave scheme was a policy in need of third-party endorsements. Hardheads said it was overly generous; pointy heads said the money would be better spent on childcare; and critics said it was more about softening...
Folkstone launches $42m equity raising
Financial Review - Nick Lenaghan and Sam Hutchinson - November 24, 2014Folkestone Property Group has launched a $42 million equity raising to bolster its control of a childcare property trust it manages, and to secure new development opportunities. The raising supports the acquisition of a further $21.7 million stake in the Folkestone Education Trust...
Australian parents work harder than mums and dads anywhere else in the world
NEWS.com.au - November 24, 2014Australian women increasingly want to have careers, and are expected to work, with most households needing two incomes in today's economic climate. Yet their childcare demands are the highest in the world. Since daycare is so expensive, parents are forced to work longer hours...
Labor should back Tony Abbott's 'Scandinavian' paid parental leave policy
The Age - Ben Schneiders - November 23, 2014They needed to consider higher taxes on income and mining to fund programs on education, parental leave, childcare and public transport. "Thus we need to look at the Nordic system with a strong revenue base. People are prepared to pay more if they see the benefits."
Educators urge parents to stop using euphemisms for vagina and penis in front of children
The Sunday Mail - Jackie Sinnerton - November 23, 2014Teaching children euphemisms for private parts like twinkle or peepee is setting them up for later problems, insists Professor Rosemary Coates from Curtin University. And a leader in the Queensland childcare sector agrees that straight talking is the way to go. Leslie Jones…
The paid and unpaid workload on Aussie dads heavy by world standards
Sydney Morning Herald - Matt Wade - November 23, 2014Australian fathers with young families do more childcare and have a heavier overall workload - paid and unpaid - than their counterparts in other wealthy countries. University of NSW researcher Dr Lyn Craig compared the time use of families with children aged under four in five wealthy…
How can we improve childcare in Australia?
NEWS.com.au - Lisa Mayoh - November 22, 2014CHILDCARE, or the lack of it, is one of the biggest issues facing Australian parents. From availability to access and excessive cost, most families are already confused with the country's current - and strained - system. But it could all be about to change. So how does it affect you?…
Inflexible childcare, welfare makes family life a big juggle
The Australian - Natasha Robinson - November 22, 2014STAY-at-home mothers trying to retain their connection to the workforce are facing an impossible task negotiating inflexible childcare and welfare systems that are locking them out of future full job participation. The federal government will spend more than $20 billion on childcare…
Arena boss tells court of proxy bid for Austock's property arm
The Australian - Sarah Danckert - November 22, 2014Mr Goodwin told the court that merging Austock''s childcare fund - since taken over by Folkestone - with Arena's childcare fund was a good idea. Mr Goodwin's comments at court come just weeks after Arena knocked back a merger offer from Folkestone as not "compelling"…
Global Momentum for Measuring Early Learning Outcomes and Program Quality
The Brookings Institution (USA) - Kate Anderson, Abbie Raikes and Tamar Manuelyan Atinc - November 18, 2014The importance of early development for later school achievement, earnings, health and well-being has been clearly established, and there is international consensus that it should be seen as a priority for all countries and a goal for the post-2015 development agenda. Including early...
Future-proof Australia Against Welfare Dependency and Inequality
Pro Bono Australia - November 18, 2014Australians should all care about the findings of the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Childcare and Early Childhood Learning, recently delivered to the Federal Government and due to be tabled soon, because it affects our future prosperity as a nation, says Executive Director of The...
Services win from China deal: Robb
9News.com.au - November 18, 2014He highlighted areas such as legal services, child care, aged care, private hospitals, health, education, engineering, mining and extraction services, manufacturing, architecture and urban planning. "If you run an aged care home in Australia, once this deal is in place … you'll be able to...
Childcare staff-to-children ratios might change in SA, centres warn parents of rising costs
ABC News - November 17, 2014Childcare centres have warned parents might face a rise of $100 per week in fees from 2016 unless the South Australian Government delays changes to regulations to require more childcare workers. The ratio of carers to children aged two or three is to double from one-for-10 to one-for-five...
