Child Care News

Childcare centres in class action threat over grants approved by Labor Government
NEWS.com.au - Natasha Bita - September 27, 2013

CHILDCARE centres are investigating a class action against the Federal Government unless it pays $300 million in grants for staff wage rises. Thousands of childcare workers may miss out on a promised pay rise of up to $200 per week, after the Coalition Government on Thursday refused...

Anti-Vaccine activists beat school ban
Brisbane Times - Amy Remeikis - September 27, 2013 - 12:01AM

Unvaccinated children will not be stopped from entering Queensland child care centres after a parliamentary committee rejected a bill calling for their exclusion. But in its report, the LNP dominated committee has not ruled out supporting a similar bill if it follows the NSW government...

Guidelines seek to ensure talented students get their chance to excel
Herald Sun - Wes Hosking - September 26, 2013

CHILDREN as young as three will be assessed for being gifted in a statewide initiative to begin within weeks. New guidelines will help educators identify the signs of advanced development including complex language skills, unusual ideas, an extraordinary memory and mature social...

Australia's G8 Education Seeks New Equity to Fund Acquisitions
Wall Street Journal - Gillian Tan - September 26, 2013

Childcare-center operator G8 Education Ltd.GEM.AU +1.83% is seeking 60.1 million Australian dollars (US$56.3 million) to fund acquisitions, according to a term sheet seen by MoneyBeat. Petra Capital and Canaccord Genuity are managing the raising, which is being conducted at A$3.10...

Ombudsman to audit Qld child care wages
ABC News - September 26, 2013

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) will be cracking down on illegal workplace practices across Queensland's child care centres following a spike in complaints from workers. About 100 businesses will be audited in most Queensland regions. Director with the Fair Work Ombudsman Kevin...

Underpaid Childcare Workers
ABC Radio 612 - Edwina Stott - 26 September 2013

How many times have you heard that childcare workers are paid too little for what they do? Well the Fair Work Ombudsman thinks it could be worse than that. Thousands of our childcare and pre-school workers have been underpaid. Up to 100 Queensland centres are going to be investigated...

Queensland childcare and preschool workers to have wages audited by Fair Work Ombudsman
Courier Mail - Renee Viellaris - September 26, 2013

THOUSANDS of Queensland childcare and preschool workers will have their wages audited due to fears they have been underpaid. The Fair Work Ombudsman will today announce that up to 100 centres throughout the state will be targeted from next month in a national blitz. The childcare...

Fears of legal battlegrounds as childcare centres swamped in red tapes
The Advertiser - Tessa Akerman and Callie Watson - September 25, 2013

CHILDCARE centres are emerging as the next big litigation battleground for parents suing over children's injuries as operators warn they are being distracted by overwhelming paperwork. In a case believed to be a South Australian first, a child bit and gnawed on another so badly that...

Unions push for higher child care pay rises
Queensland Times - Daniel Burdon - September 25, 2013

A MAJOR fight is brewing over pay rates in the child care industry, with unions pushing for pay rises up to 70% above current rates in long day care centres. The Fair Work Commission case, brought by the Australian Education Union and United Voice, also involves the new Coalition Government...

Family sues ABC Learning Centres after baby bitten by another child
The Advertiser - Tessa Akerman - September 25, 2013

A MOTHER has settled a District Court lawsuit with a childcare centre after her then-infant son was bitten on the face and body by a toddler. Chandra Aitkin and her son Jovan Kelly took legal action against ABC Learning Centres in the District Court following an incident at Brighton in 2007...

Parents and older workers are dropping out of sight, but employers and employees don't agree on why
Smart Company - Myriam Robin - September 25, 2013

Businesses think the cost of childcare is holding back parents from the workforce, but employees disagree, according to a study released yesterday. More than 80% of businesses surveyed by human resource service provider Kronos said the high cost of childcare was the most pressing...

Police called in after four-year-old found with meth at daycare centre
ABC News - September 23, 2013

Police and child protection authorities have been called in after a quantity of methamphetamine was found on a four-year-old at a Perth childcare centre. Staff at the Tuart Hill Baby and Childcare Centre in Main Street, Osborne Park, found the boy playing with a bag containing a white crystal...

Brisbane mum Rebecca McIntosh plans to set up Day Care Decisions to rate childcare centres
Courier Mail - Jacinda Tutty - September 22, 2013

PARENTS  will be able to rate and review Brisbane childcare centres with a new website aimed at raising the bar for early learning. Yeronga mum Rebecca McIntosh plans to use funding awarded through the Lord Mayor's Entrepreneurs Program to help establish Day Care Decisions, which...

Child Care Services in Australia Industry Market Research Report Now Updated by IBISWorld
PR Web - September 22, 2013

Continued growth of the Child Care Services industry in Australia will be contingent on operators accepting smaller profit margins. For this reason, industry research firm IBISWorld has updated its report on the Child Care Services industry in Australia. In 2011-12, over one million children...

Libs' baby pay scheme a winner, says Elizabeth Broderick
The Australian - Patricia Karvelas - September 20, 2013

SEX Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has strongly backed Tony Abbott's paid parental leave scheme but has urged companies that abandon their schemes to redirect the funds to better support childcare and out-of-school-hours care. Ms Broderick has broken her silence...