Child Care News

Early education push for disadvantaged children
ABC Online - November 1, 2011

A leading educational expert is calling for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to be sent to preschool earlier. Education expert Professor Joseph Sparling has completed several studies on the links between disadvantage and school performance...

Occasional Childcare fight hits the floor
Media Release - Sussan Ley - November 1, 2011

The battle to restore Commonwealth support for Victoria’s Take a Break program took a key turn last night, when the Coalition and Greens backed a Private Members motion calling on the Labor Government to reinstate funding for occasional childcare...

A good early start is a child's best chance
Sydney Morning Herald - Tony Vinson - October 31, 2011

I recently asked preschool principals, in consultation with early education teachers, to rank aspects of the operation of their preschools that caused the greatest difficulty in achieving their goals for children. Responses were obtained from 51...

Keeping it all in the family
The Canberra Times - Megan Doherty - October 29, 2011

Care provided by grandparents is the most common type of informal child care in Australia, used by one in five children aged 0-12 years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It's even more common in the nought to two age group - about one...

Grannies fear new rules for childcare work will cut them out
The Australian - Natasha Bita - October 29, 2011

Like many other senior staff in daycare centres, Mrs Richards fears losing the job she loves unless she obtains formal qualifications under new rules for childcare workers. "I've worked in childcare for 22 years, but I haven't got the piece of paper"...

Child's play no more - preschool enrolments tumble with new fees
Sydney Morning Herald - Andrew Stevenson - October 28, 2011

ENROLMENTS at public preschools have slumped following the NSW government's decision to begin charging fees of up to $40 a day from next year. Although the fees Aboriginal and poorer families will pay are much lower - and can be reduced to zero in cases of need...

A oui bit of education
Herald Sun - Elissa Doherty - October 28, 2011

When they are not playing in the sand pit or painting, tots at a Brighton childcare centre are brushing up on their French. The ABC Learning Centre at Brighton Junction holds French classes for littlies as young as 18 months in what is becoming an...

Parents angry over childcare assault allegations
ABC Online - October 27, 2011

The New South Wales Education Department has come under fire for its handing of a child assault case involving a man who worked in before and after school care. The 24-year-old childcare worker in Sydney's south has been fired and remains in custody...

New baby boom, but first-time fathers are getting older
Sydney Morning Herald - Jessica Wright - October 26, 2011

The baby boom means there will be increasing pressure on health and hospital infrastructure and competition for childcare vacancies. In a display of handy prescience, the Minister for Childcare Services, Kate Ellis, announced yesterday a federal boost...

Overhaul to 'improve child care standards'
ABC Online - Anna Morozow - October 25, 2011

The ACT Legislative Assembly has passed laws that will overhaul how childcare centres operate from next year. The changes are part of new National Quality Framework requirements for child care and education. From next year centres that care for children aged...

Man commits offence after bailed: court
Sydney Morning Herald - Vincent Morello - October 25, 2011

Police bailed a childcare worker charged with indecently assaulting two boys just days before he allegedly committed the same offence on another child, court documents show. The 24-year-old man chose not to appear in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday...

Kindergarten chaos looms over edict
Herald Sun - Matt Johnston - October 25, 2011

A PRESCHOOL has told parents it must cut classes because of federal government changes to kindergarten hours. Templestowe Heights Preschool is believed to be one of the first Victorian centres to scrap its three-year-old program as a direct result of Commonwealth plans...

Extra childcare places to help parents get back to work
Herald Sun - October 25, 2011

VICTORIAN families needing flexible childcare will benefit from more than 500 new places to be funded by the Federal Government. Childcare Minister Kate Ellis will today announce a $2.2 million investment in about 310 approved occasional care and 250 in-home places...

Minister announces $9.2m in child-care upgrades
The Canberra Times - Lauren Stanford - October 25, 2011

ACT Minister for Community Services Joy Burch announced $9.2million in upgrades to child-care facilities in Canberra yesterday. The upgrades will create places for an additional 173 children across Canberra. "In addition to the increased places...

More charges over alleged child assaults
Sydney Morning Herald - October 25, 2011

More charges have been laid over an alleged series of indecent assaults on children, including some which police say involve a childcare organisation in Sydney's south. Earlier this month police charged a man with four counts of aggravated indecent...