Child Care News
Childcare centres in limbo as they await ratings
The Australian - Patricia Karvelas - November 13, 2014THE rating and assessment of childcare centres has been delayed a further 18 months, and many may be waiting until 2017 before being assessed for the first time. It is becoming increasingly clear that the mid-2015 target to have every childcare service assessed once will not be met, with the...
Aussies ready to snap up childcare firm
New Zealand Herald - Patrick O'Sullivan - November 13, 2014Hawke's Bay-based in-home childcare provider Porse is on the shopping list of an Australian company buying up New Zealand early-childhood businesses. Evolve Education Group is expected to register a New Zealand Stock Exchange share-offer prospectus tomorrow to fund the...
G20: Childcare costs, tax system likely to be affected by agenda, expert predicts
ABC News - Emily Clark - November 12, 2014G20 nations are unlikely to reach a commitment significant enough to be declared the Brisbane agreement, but one expert is predicting summit pledges will mean changes for Australia's child care and tax systems. The director of the Lowy Institute's G20 Studies Centre, Mike Callaghan, said...
'Brighter outlook' for small caps
Financial Review - Bianca Hartge-Hazelman - November 12, 2014"While demand for childcare will remain for the industry, we can identify numerous headwinds to G8 which are not being priced in," said Citi analyst Ross Barrows in a note to clients. Within small cap industrial companies, Citi's top picks include AWE, Charter Hall Group, Flexigroup, Karoon Gas...
Federal Government considers allowing childcare inspectors to enter home-based day care services without search warrants
NEWS.com.au - Lauren Wilson - November 12, 2014EXCLUSIVE: Suspect home-based childcare services could be subject to random compliance inspections without the need for officers to obtain search warrants, under legal changes being considered by the Federal Government. An independent report on the early childhood sector's...
Parents urged to plan for their kids leaving kindergarten
Herald Sun - Wes hoskin - November 12, 2014PARENTS whose kids start school next year are being urged to plan for the move now as part of a nationwide push. All kindergartens are being issued with advice on ways to ease the transition as part of a Federal Government initiative. A positive start has been identified as key in...
Occasional childcare wins $8.55m to increase spaces under Napthine-Abbott agreement
Herald Sun - Jessica Marszalek - November 11, 2014FAMILIES will soon find it easier to secure emergency childcare with an $8.55 million injection into services across the state. An agreement between the Napthine and Abbott governments - signed before the caretaker period - will be announced today to increase casual and emergency...
Victoria election 2014: Calls to means test Coalition's proposed kindergarten rebate
ABC News - Jean Edwards - November 10, 2014Welfare groups say low-income families will miss out on the Victorian Government's proposed kindergarten rebate because it will not be means tested or apply to children who already receive free kinder. Under the plan announced at the Coalition's campaign launch on Sunday families...
Evolve Education confirms share float
NEWS.com.au - November 10, 2014EVOLVE Education Group has confirmed an initial public offer in a dual listing on the ASX and NZX to fund a series of acquisitions in early childhood education. THE amount of money being sought has not yet been released but it's understood to be around $NZ130 million ($A121.03 million)...
Childcare training colleges marked as failures by skills authority
The Australian - Natasha Bita - November 10, 2014DOZENS of childcare training colleges have been caught churning out graduates who cannot change nappies, supervise children or write English. The Australian Skills Quality Authority has in the past three months audited one in four of Australia's 289 training colleges offering childcare, and...
Childcare spat the first salvo in long fight
Financial Review - Nick Lenaghan - November 10, 2014A skirmish for control between childcare property trusts Arena REIT and Folkestone Education Trust may be the first salvo in a longer campaign for Âconsolidation in a boutique but growing asset class. The spark that ignited the tussle is Arena's move to bring its management inhouse. Currently...
Victorian State Election: Napthine offers cash to kindergarten parents
ABC News - November 8, 2014The Federal Government has selected 40 preschools across the country to take part in a trial of teaching a second language to young children. Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley said the $9.8 million program will use play-based learning to help generate interest in language studies...
Preschools will teach a second language through play-based learning under new government trial
ABC News - November 8, 2014The Federal Government has selected 40 preschools across the country to take part in a trial of teaching a second language to young children. Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley said the $9.8 million program will use play-based learning to help generate interest in language...
Childcare regulations report proposes raft of changes
The Australian - Patricia Karvelas - November 7, 2014CHILDCARE educators should become legally liable for not adequately supervising children under their care or where they do not take every reasonable precaution to protect children from harm or hazard that is likely to cause injury, according to huge proposed changes to national laws...
Poll shows planned childcare reforms could cost the Abbott government votes: 70 per cent rank childcare issues as key issue
Daily Telegraph - Simon Benson - November 7, 2014AUSTRALIAN families have sent the Abbott government a blunt warning over planned childcare reforms, declaring they will make it a key election issue Âunless more money is provided to help mums who want to return to work. An exclusive poll obtained by The Saturday Telegraph Ârevealed more…