Child Care News

NSW Education Dept takes over child care
Sydney Morning Herald - June 1, 2011

The NSW Education Department is taking over responsibility for all child care and early childhood education in the state. The Community Services department, which used to have that responsibility, will now focus on welfare. "Originally the aim was for...

Sex offender lived at home of family day carer
The Age - Jewel Topsfield - May 31, 2011

A REGISTERED sex offender was found to be living at the home of a family day carer in Melbourne's southern suburbs, raising serious concerns about the risks of home-based childcare. The state government has asked Child Safety Commissioner Bernie Geary...

Risk-taking lessons not learned in over-strict playgrounds, says expert
Herald Sun - Kate Jones - May 30, 2011

Playground injuries at Victorian schools have jumped by 45 per cent in the past two years with 160 students falling, slipping and tripping each day. Injuries at childcare centres and kindergartens are responsible for about 60 hospital admissions every...

Dinosaur names are child's play
Adelaide Now - May 29, 2011

Last year a University of California report found that four-year-olds learn more literacy and numeracy skills through teacher interaction than by free play. "It's about adults working alongside children in their play... of introducing words as children..."

Parents to get boost in childcare rebates
Adelaide Now - Samantha Maiden - May 28, 2011

PARENTS will soon have the option of securing generous childcare rebates fortnightly instead of quarterly. They can even choose the option of having the rebate paid directly to their child care service and receive a reduction on their bills...

The high price of child-care reform
The Canberra Times - May 26, 2011

A survey of child-care centres in the ACT conducted by the Community Services Directorate has found that some of the costliest creches often have worse staff ratios and fewer trained workers, on average, than their cheaper cousins...

Child care centres, Govt 'working closely' on upgrades
ABC Online - May 26, 2011

The ACT Government says $9 million upgrades for early childhood facilities will be completed by 2013. The money will be spent on the Government's 43 childcare facilities before Commonwealth reforms requiring a carer for every four children are introduced in 2014...

Investigation launched after Benjamin Atley escapes Clayton South childcare centre
Herald Sun - Emily Portelli - May 25, 2011

THE Education Department has launched an investigation after a three-year-old boy escaped from a childcare centre and wandered home along busy streets. Benjamin Atley slipped unnoticed past supervisors and security doors at Clayton South Childcare...

Fury as toddler wanders from childcare centre
The Age - Megan Levy - May 25, 2011

The parents of a three-year-old boy who escaped from a childcare centre and wandered home along a busy street say their son could have been killed due to the lack of supervision. The little boy toddled about 600 metres to his house on Milton Road...

Best child-care centres cost less: report
The Canberra Times - Noel Towell - May 25, 2011

Canberra's child-care centres with the poorest service standards are hitting parents with the biggest fees, according to ACT Government papers. The documents show that the city's day care providers with the highest-staff-to-child ratios and the best-trained workers are...

Japanese compulsory at childcare centres
Gold Coast Bulletin News - Merrin Jagtman - May 24, 2011

A NEW breed of childcare centres have begun operating on the Gold Coast where children still learning to walk are being taught a second language. Children as young as 15 months are being given compulsory Japanese lessons as part of Kool Kids Early Centre's curriculum...

Violence on tv and the web to blame for violent preps
Herald Sun - Evonne Barry - May 23, 2011

"Often their unacceptable behaviour is actually being seen in child care and kindergartens as well." Clinical psychologist Dr Simon Crisp said early exposure to violence on TV and the internet was part of the "creeping down" of bad behaviour to younger children...

Child-care debt crackdown
The Canberra Times - Frances Stewart and Michael Inman - May 22, 2011

ACT CHILD-CARE centres are being forced to call in debt collectors as families under financial pressure use government rebates to pay for everyday essentials instead of fees. With parents facing higher food and fuel bills, while new child-care staff...

Brisbane families fear childcare cost increase under Federal Budget
Courier Mail - Anna Chisholm - May 20, 2011

CHILDCARE costs are set to rise if National Quality Reforms are passed, as Queensland families struggle to clear rising childcare debt. Parents say fewer rebates for childcare will only mean additional pressure after changes to family tax...

Debt collectors chase parents who owe as little as $50 in childcare fees
The Courier Mail - Alex Tilbury and Paddy Hintz - May 20, 2011

PARENTS owing as little as $50 in unpaid childcare fees are being chased by debt collectors as fed-up centres crack down on mounting overdue bills. One of Australia's largest debt collection agencies said unpaid fees to childcare centres had emerged as a significant problem...