Child Care News
When 'qualified' is no guarantee of competence
The Australian - Natasha Bita - September 6, 2014Assistant Minister for Education Sussan Ley says new training standards require students to carry out 120 hours of work placement at a childcare centre before graduating with a Certificate III, or 240 hours for a diploma. She has asked ASQA to crack down on the sector. "It is important that we...
Funding for 15 hours of preschool four-year-old to continue, says Sussan Ley
The Age - Jewel Topsfield - September 5, 2014The federal government will continue to subsidise 15 hours of preschool for four-year-olds for another year, Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley has announced. About 10 hours are funded by the Victorian government and five hours by the Commonwealth. But the agreement was to expire at...
Early childcare's '$20bn return'
The Australian - Justine Ferrari - September 4, 2014INCREASING the number of children from the poorest families in early childhood education and improving the quality would add more than $20 billion to the Australian economy over the next four decades. While the childcare debate has focused on the benefits of increasing the participation...
Parents want PPL money channelled into childcare
The Australian - Patricia Karvelas - September 4, 2014MORE than eight out of 10 parents believe funding for the government's proposed $5.5 billion paid parental leave scheme should be diverted into the childcare sector. One of the largest parent surveys into the changes found parents overwhelmingly supported retaining the existing childcare system...
Childcare centre faces legal action for paying workers $2 an hour
Sydney Morning Herald - Anna Patty - September 4, 2014A school principal who operated a Sydney childcare centre will face court for allegedly paying his staff as little as $2.15 an hour. The Fair Work Ombudsman is taking legal action against Mark Edward Myles, who allegedly paid workers between $2.15 and $3.98 an hour at a childcare centre in...
Kid whisperer Diane Mirabito teaches preschoolers good manners
Sydney Morning Herald - Rachel Browne - September 4, 2014Diane Mirabito has the close attention of her class of preschoolers as she explains the concept of magic, in particular the enchanting properties of two very special words. "Please and thank you - those words are very magical," she said. "They make things happen, they open doors." Then the teacher...
More Victorians than ever in childcare as family needs rise
Herald Sun - Jessica Marszalek - September 2, 2014ABOUT 100,000 more Victorian children are in childcare now than just six years ago as more and more families rely on care to go back to work. New government figures show the state had the highest growth in hours of childcare used each week by families across the nation - more than twice...
Inquest to consider day care baby monitors
SBS News - September 2, 2014A coronial inquest into the death of a five month old infant will hear expert opinion about whether electronic baby monitors should be mandated in day care facilities. Emma Hicks dropped her baby daughter Indianna off at the home of Tracey Cross, who provided services for the Sunshine Coast...
Territory children spend more time in child care than kids in any other state or territory
NT News - Jill Poulsen - September 1, 2014TERRITORY children spend more time in child care than kids in any other state or territory in Australia, new figures reveal. Federal Assistant Minister for Education Sussan Ley, who has responsibility for child care, said almost 9000 children were enrolled in formal approved childcare services...
Principals call for a national standard school starting age of five-and-a-half
Daily Telegraph - Bruce McDougall - August 30, 2014NSW children will wait up to an extra year before they can start school under a plan from the country's peak primary principals body to introduce a standard national starting age of five-and-a-half. The Australian Primary Principals’ Association wants the age to be standardised...
Mums merge office and creche
The Australian - Natasha Robinson - August 29, 2014TWO Sydney mothers are preparing to open a childcare service that allows parents to work on-site while their children play next door at the creche. From next Monday, the co-shared workspace Bubs and Boardrooms will allow parents working flexibly, breastfeeding mothers, students and even...
Families nervous about looming changes to childcare rebate
Canberra Times - Primrose Riordan - August 29, 2014Some Canberra families' working lives hang in the balance of the findings of the Productivity Commission's report into childcare. Kellie Gale's parents live in Merriwagga, a small town near Griffith, five hours away from her home in Nicholls where she lives with her firefighter husband...
Childcare industry set for an overhaul thanks to new babysitting app
StartupSmart - Broede Carmody - Augsut 29, 2014A Sydney-based startup is looking to disrupt the childcare industry in the same way Uber has disrupted the taxi market. Kindy, an app that allows parents to find and contact babysitters and nannies in their area, hopes to make it easier for parents to find trusted babysitters and nannies...
NSW parents cutting back on childcare
Daily Telegraph - Daniel Myers - August 29, 2014NSW parents are turning to informal childcare arrangements like using grandparents or in-home care because it is too expensive to make permanent arrangements at childcare centres. The federal government will today release figures that show NSW children spend less hours a week in...
Affinity reports $5m loss after predicting $2.6m profit
Financial Review - Jessica Gardner - August 29, 2014Newly listed childcare provider Affinity Education Group has posted a half-year loss of $5 million, missing a forecast profit of $2.6 million outlined in its prospectus, due to the company's spending spree as it expands its centre network. Revenue hit $38.5 million in the six months ended June 30...
