Child Care News
Children, ear infections and antibiotics
ABC Online - Cathy Johnson - April 6, 2011But it is especially common in babies and toddlers, particularly those attending childcare. Peaking in the cooler months, it makes them unwell and irritable – often with a fever – and can affect their hearing. Since the infection is usually caused by ...
Making special schools a reality
The Daily Telegraph - Joe Hildebrand and Letitia Rowlands - April 6, 2011HUNDREDS of education and child welfare groups have thrown their support behind a push for new remedial pre-schools to help vulnerable children before they hit school. Support for the proposal, outlined by top sociologist Tony Vinson at...
Use common sense in childcare: Kate Ellis
The Australian - Natasha Bita - April 6, 2011CHILDCARE staff need to use common sense when disciplining children, federal Childcare Minister Kate Ellis said yesterday. Defending new regulations that expose staff to fines for using inappropriate discipline, Ms Ellis said childcare workers - not...
Naughty corner clampdown 'a fad', says child psychologist John Irvine
The Australian - Sallie Don and Tom Westbrook - April 5, 2011THE federal government yesterday rushed to downplay a raft of new regulations for childcare centres, which include fining workers for excluding misbehaving children from group activities, while a leading child psychologist deemed the new rules a "fad"...
Minister sends fines idea to naughty corner
Sydney Morning Herald - Dan Harrison - April 5, 2011THE Childcare Minister, Kate Ellis, has dismissed as "ridiculous" fears that under proposed national regulations childcare workers could be fined for sending children to the "naughty corner" or for celebrating Christmas and Easter...
WA rejects 'culturally correct' child care
The West Australian - Daniel Emerson - April 5, 2011Community Services Minister Robyn McSweeney has vowed to reject proposed national laws that threaten childcare centres with hefty fines for "culturally inappropriate" activities such as Easter egg hunts or Christmas tree decorating...
Offended? Go sit in the haughty corner
The Daily Telegraph - David Penberthy - April 5, 2011HE'S been billed as New Zealand's answer to the Supernanny and his program The Politically Incorrect Parenting Show, which advocates punishing children by padlocking them in their rooms, will be screening in Australia this year. Nigel Latta says reasoning...
Ban on naughty corner, easter egg hunts
The Australian - Natasha Bita - April 4, 2011CHILDCARE workers who send tantrum-throwing toddlers to "time out" risk hefty fines under national childcare laws to come into force next year. New regulations will expose childcare centres to penalties if children are required to take part in religious or cultural activities, such as Christmas...
Naughty corner is off limits
The Australian - April 4, 2011CHILDREN need discipline that is gentle, firm and fair. Perhaps we missed the news that Australian toddlers had sprouted wings and turned into cherubs. The National Childcare Accreditation Council has declared "the naughty corner" off limits to protect children...
NSW childcare job crisis
Sydney Morning Herald - April 3, 2011It''s been revealed that hundreds of childcare centres in NSW are struggling to meet the federal government''s tough new industry standards and some could be forced to close within three years. The Sun-Herald newspaper says NSW needs to upgrade the qualifications of...
ABC centres off to a Goodstart
The Advertiser - Belinda Willis - March 29, 2011SOUTH Australia's 44 ABC centres have seen a six per cent rise in enrolments after being bought by Goodstart last year. The childcare giant now employs about 600 staff across the state, and in further good news on a national front, the company is...
Australian working mothers spend 15 hours a week with their children
Herald Sun - Elissa Doherty - March 29, 2011Aussie mums ranked second highest after Ireland of the 21 developed countries examined, while dads in the two countries tied. But experts said parents should not necessarily feel guilty about the minutes...
Childhood obesity on the slide
The Age - Julie Robotham - March 28, 2011AUSTRALIA'S childhood obesity problem has finally gone into reverse, according to a study that highlights a small but steady fall in the proportion of preschoolers deemed overweight during the past decade. Children from poorer families have benefited most...
Childcare centres favour disclosure
The Age - Michelle Griffin - March 25, 2011UNACCREDITED childcare services want every detail of their assessments included on the national childcare database, MyChild, so that parents can judge for themselves. While the federal government plans to turn its MyChild website into a 'report card'...
Canberra's child care cost debate
ABC Online - March 24, 2011The ACT Opposition has seized on comments by a Canberra politician in Federal Parliament about the high cost of child care in the territory. While speaking in support of federal changes to the child care rebate, the Member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann commended...
