Child Care News

‘Unable to meet basic needs’: ParentsNext program suspended a third of parents’ payments
The Sydney Morning Herald - Jacqueline Maley - August 11, 2021

One third of participants of the controversial ParentsNext program had their payments suspended and more than 1000 had them cancelled altogether, leaving some unable to meet the “basic needs” of their children, according to a humans rights committee report. The program, which requires parents ...

Expected baby boom sees funds for Longreach childcare expansion
North Queensland Register - August 12, 2021

The Longreach Regional Council will receive $150,000 from the federal government to help fund an expansion of the Longreach Childcare Centre that will double its capacity. The planned expansion of the centre will take place within the existing centre footprint, without the need to construct ...

Building cleared to make way for new multimillion-dollar facility
The Courier Mail - Vanessa Jarrett - August 11, 2021-

The new Rockhampton childcare centre will have a ‘barista hub’ where parents can get free coffee and baked treats when dropping off their kids. Work is well underway at Stockland Rockhampton for the construction of a new 100-space childcare centre. National franchise Green Leaves ...

Maranoa childcare services received $5.2M in Federal Government funding
The Courier Mail - Kristen Booth - August 11, 2021

Nearly two dozen childcare centres across the region are set to receive a major funding boost. Find out if you child’s centre is on the list. Twenty-three child care services across the region, including Barcaldine, Blackall and Tambo, will receive funding to provide facilities for more children ...

More primary schools to offer three-year-olds childcare
NT News - Thomas Morgan - August 11, 2021

A trial for preschool being offered to three-year-olds has been expanded to four further primary schools, with parents able to access 15 hours of free childcare a week. A TRIAL for preschool being offered to three-year-olds has been expanded to four further primary schools ...

Early educators face workplace, pay stress
7News - August 10, 2021

Early educators are leaving the industry due to excessive workloads and low pay, according to a survey of thousands of staff. The United Workers Union polled almost 4000 current and former early educators, releasing the data on Tuesday. According to the union, workers are ...

National Science Week begins soon – how will your service participate?
The Sector - Freya Lucas - August 10, 2021

National Science Week, which runs annually in August, begins next week, with thousands of in person and virtual opportunities for ECEC services to get involved and explore the big topics, brilliant minds and unexpected ideas from the world of science. In 2021 National Science Week ...

Dr Harry Little preschool shares sweet treats with frontline workers to say thank you
The Sector - Freya Lucas - August 10, 2021

Kindergarten staff from Bendigo’s Dr Harry Little Preschool recently conducted a “doughnut drop” to staff at the Bendigo Health COVID-19 centre and Bendigo Respiratory Clinic to thank them for all their hard work as the COVID-19 pandemic persists. The doughnuts were left over ...

Childcare centres facing a mass exodus of staff
Herald Sun - Susie O'Brien - August 10, 2021

Childcare centres nationally are facing a mass exodus of staff, with three in four educators saying they will leave within three years. The effect of dealing with stressed parents and anxious children due to the pandemic is taking its toll. Low pay and higher workloads, including ...

Southern Downs childcare centres score slice of $5.2M cash boost
The Courier Mail - Jessica Paul - August 9, 2021

More than half a dozen childcare centres across the Southern Downs will benefit from a multimillion-dollar funding boost. Eight Southern Downs services will score a share in $5,283,919 under Round 3 of the Federal Government’s Community Childcare Fund, which aims ...

Is It Smart To Buy Mayfield Childcare Limited (ASX:MFD) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend?
Simply Wall Street - August 9, 2021

Readers hoping to buy Mayfield Childcare Limited (ASX:MFD) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date which is the date on which a company determines ...

Victoria's list of COVID-19 exposure sites grows as childcare centre, hospital in Melbourne's west added
ABC News - August 9, 2021

Health authorities have added a childcare centre in Caroline Springs to Victoria's growing list of COVID-19 exposure sites. The Little Flyers childcare and kindergarten facility is listed for several exposure periods between August 3 and August 6. It is listed for two small 10-minute ...

Queanbeyan to gain 120 extra preschool spaces through Start Strong Capital Works
The Sector - Freya Lucas - August 9, 2021

The Queanbeyan and District Preschool Association has secured a $600,000 grant to transform their Cooma Street property in Karabar into a three-classroom preschool as part of the broader NSW Government Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program. Nationals member for ...

Connected Beginnings to benefit from expansion of early years First Nations funding
The Sector - Freya Lucas - August 9, 2021

Connected Beginnings, a program which operates in the outback New South Wales town of Bourke, has almost tripled the number of First Nations and vulnerable children attending preschool by working closely with families and developing a model which better met their needs ...

Margaret River Community Centre for Children joins international research project
The Sector - Freya Lucas - August 9, 2021

The Margaret River Community Centre for Children (MRCCC) is one of ten early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across Australia participating in a national and international research project exploring educators’ work in exemplary ECEC settings. Suzanna Richardson ...