Child Care News
Support for Occasional Childcare goes National
Sussan Ley MP - Media Release - July 29, 2011A nationwide petition, calling on the Gillard Government to restore occasional childcare funding across the country has been launched in South West Victoria. Anger at the withdrawal of Federal support sparked the move, with thousands of parents in...
Working mums the big losers
Financial Review - Geoff Winestock - July 29, 2011They might face a relatively low marginal tax rate of zero or 15¢ or 34¢ but for every extra dollar they earn they also lose 20¢ or 30¢ or 60¢ of benefits. This creates a huge disincentive for people, mostly women, to return to work, especially child care is factored in...
Exclusive creche aims to ease childhood trauma
The Age - Michelle Griffin - July 29, 2011IT'S ONE of the most exclusive childcare centres in Australia, funded to provide the lowest child-staff ratios, a top-flight early education curriculum and three gourmet meals a day. But the Children's Protection Society's creche in Heidelberg West...
Childcare 'hinders mothers' careers', says report
BBC News - July 27, 2011Childcare is the biggest barrier for women going back to work, according to a new report which examined the financial challenges facing working women. More than a thousand women were surveyed for the report which found that more than half see no end...
Mums spit the dummy after childcare centres slash the number of baby placed by 20 percent
The Sunday Telegraph - Jane Hansen - July 24, 2011Under reforms that took effect in January, centres have to provide one carer for every four children, instead of one to five, but the industry has responded by cutting placements instead of putting on extra staff. Already in extreme shortage...
Childcare fee rise hits $25 per day
Sussan Ley MP - Media Release - July 20, 2011Huge rises in childcare fees are quickly becoming reality with an inner suburban Melbourne childcare centre set to charge parents an extra $25 per day. A report in this week''s local ''Leader'' newspaper confirms Glen Eira Council must increase...
ABC Learning paid double market price
The Australian - Jared Owens - July 20, 2011FORMER ABC Learning executive Martin Kemp arranged for the childcare chain to buy his assets at double their market value, a court heard yesterday. Mr Kemp is charged with three breaches of the Corporations Act concerning the exercise of his powers as...
Child care welcomes foreign workers
The West Australian - Joseph Catanzaro - July 19, 2011"We have a workforce crisis in child care" he said. "The industry is screaming out for staff. There is a 5 per cent growth in childcare centres in this country, and there is only a 2 per cent growth in staff." Mr Mayes, who has worked in the industry....
Tax breaks on childcare pushed
Financial Review - Emily Parkinson - July 19, 2011Senior executives and company directors have called for the introduction of tax-deductible child-care to lift workforce participation and representation in management ranks and boardrooms. Despite Australian women being among the most highly educated in the world...
Groves 'skirted board at ABC'
The Australian - Jared Owens - July 19, 2011EDDY Groves so heavily micro-managed his failed ABC Learning childcare empire that he was even able to change the colour of the carpets on a whim, a court has heard. On the first day of former ABC executive director Martin Kemp's committal hearing in Brisbane...
In praise of nannies
Sydney Morning Herald - Mia Freedman - July 18, 2011Like all other childcare workers, nannies have a singular purpose: to care for vulnerable people who aren't old enough, smart enough or responsible enough to make the right decisions. Decisions that can have negative consequences for themselves and others...
Government pulls pin on school healthy eating program
Herald Sun - Grant McArthur - July 18, 2011Labor's flagship health initiative was launched in 2004 and was this year supporting 2200 schools and childcare centres to teach 320000 children and their parents how to adopt healthy eating and activity into their daily lives. A government spokesman yesterday...
Childcare centres say incentives may fall short of mark
Courier Mail - Jamie-Leigh Cater - July 18, 2011THE Federal Government is attempting to lure mothers back to work with tax incentives but it may not be enough, according to local childcare centres. Mothers contemplating a part-time return to the workforce would not have to pay tax until they earned...
Day care: the good news
NEWS.com.au - Fiona Baker - July 17, 2011A GROWING number of studies claim quality child care can be beneficial for kids. Parents, stop beating yourselves up about putting your littlies into day care – and don’t let anyone tell you it’s bad for them. Since families succumbed to the need to have dual incomes...
Increasing pupil-free days put pressure on parents to find childcare
The Sunday Telegraph - Laura Speranza - July 17, 2011Critics say they are a burden on parents who need to find alternate care for their children, while students lose at least a week of valuable class time. In 1981, schools had just one student-free day, while the number grew to three in 1991 and at least...
