Child Care News
Irregular bedtimes harm children's brainpower, says study
Sydney Morning Herald - Julia Medew and Isaac Johanson - July 10, 2013Going to bed at different times every night in early childhood may disrupt healthy brain development and learning, research has found. Researchers at University College London studied the sleeping habits and cognitive development of 11,000 children at ages three, five and seven...
Kent Anderson calls for shift in focus from early language programs
The Australian - Bernard Lane - July 10, 2013THE earlier the better is a maxim of languages education, but Australia may not have what it takes to succeed with learners in primary school, says academic linguist Kent Anderson. He said the country might be better off concentrating its efforts on secondary and university language...
Deborah Hutton puts childcare affordability on political agenda
Women's Agenda - Brianna Everett - July 9, 2013Just $160 is left in the average weekly pay packet of Australian working mums after the cost of childcare is taken out, according to the Australian Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry (AWCCI). Highlighting the steep cost of childcare in Australia, a new media campaign featuring...
Equity requires a universal benefit for each child
Financial Review - Professor Andrew Podger - July 9, 2013It is time for both parties to rethink their policies on family support, and to find a coherent approach that is equitable and simultaneously promotes economic efficiency. It is perhaps too much to expect either to detail such an approach before the election, but a post-election reflection of the Henry...
Dubious benefits weaken case for preschool funding
The Australian - Judith Sloan - July 9, 2013WHEN I turned three, my mother enrolled me in a private kindergarten run by two women with no formal qualifications. Attended by lots and lots of children - we were baby boomers, after all - the kindergarten was located in several rooms of the family home of one of the women. I like to...
Child care costs prohibitive for women returning to work
7News Sydney - Paul Kadak - July 8, 2013A new study has found what many parents already suspect: the high cost of child care makes it prohibitive for many women to return to work. Business groups like the Women’s Chamber of Commerce want both sides of politics to commit to lowering childcare costs in the run up to the...
Vicious dog attacks soar, but kids learn to avoid danger
Herald Sun - Peter Mickelburough - July 8, 2013TENS of thousands of kindergarten and primary school children and parents are being schooled on dog safety in a bid to reduce the growing number of serious dog attacks. In the past year, 2200 visits to kindergartens and 922 to primary schools have seen almost 100,000 youngsters...
Kindy staff too busy reporting to care
The Australian - Patricia Karvelas - July 6, 2013CHILDCARE centres are being forced to employ extra staff above the legal requirement just to get their paperwork done. The drastic action comes with workers having to spend increasing amounts of time "reporting" on children -- including in daily "reflective journals" and "folios" with photos...
Hidden crisis in before- and after-school care
Sydney Morning Herald - July 6, 2013Childcare services for school-age children in some parts of Sydney are in crisis. Parents are being forced to take extreme measures in an attempt to manage their work and family responsibilities. In one case, reported by the Herald this week, a family moved from Artarmon to North Ryde "solely...
Call over resort child care
Sydney Morning Herald - Cosima Marriner - July 6, 2013Parents love the kids clubs and creche services provided by holiday resorts because it means that they might get a bit of a holiday themselves. But few families realise that these services are not subject to the same stringent regulations as regular child care operators. Australian child...
60 centres join trial to better after-school care
Sydney Morning Herald - Amy McNeilage - July 4, 2013After-school care that is open until 7pm and places reserved for children in an emergency situation are just two of the ideas that could be trialled as the federal government looks at creative ways to increase access to out of school hours care. Fairfax Media revealed this week some areas of...
Liquor stores shine at auction
Financial Review (Property) - Rebecca Thistleton - July 4, 2013"Childcare centres have become the latest asset people are looking at. They have developed quite a following," he said. "They generally have a good track record; people see a future need for childcare and they’re a good way for people who have already bought a fast-food outlet or a...
Child care worker charged for assaulting young girl
ABC News - July 3, 2013Police have arrested a trainee child care worker who is alleged to have indecently assaulted a four-year-old girl under his care in Sydney's north west. The Child Abuse Squad launched an investigation into the 20-year-old man's actions during his time working at the child care centre...
Petty rules keep children out of after-school care
Sydney Morning Herald - Steph Croft - July 3, 2013Let me guess, you're reading this "working from home" because you couldn't get your children a space at a vacation care program for the school holidays. Or you're a working parent who at the beginning of the year took your five-year-old to kindergarten orientation at your local public...
Under-fives soak up all the attention
Sydney Morning Herald - Matt Wade - July 3, 2013Formal care for school-age children gets less attention than it deserves. It's often overshadowed by its high-profile counterparts, the long daycare centres and kindergartens that cater for under-fives. But a significant portion of families rely on before- and after-school care. For many families with...
