Labor points to risks of not banning non-immunised children from child care under No Jab No Play plan
The Advertiser - Brad Crouch - March 22, 2019
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas has warned the Government’s No Jab, No Play plan will leave children at risk and has called for non-immunised children to be excluded from early childhood services such as child care and kindy. The is despite the Royal Australasian...
The 'grandmother hypothesis' is playing out in my living room
Sydney Morning Herald - Jamila Rizvi - March 22, 2019
Both parents work in two thirds of Australian families with children aged under 15. Child care is hugely expensive, even after government subsidies, with 40 per cent of families spending more on child care than the weekly grocery shop. Reliance on grandparent support...
Plea for new NSW Government to fix “chronic childcare supply issues”: ACA NSW
The Sector - Lyndsie Clark - March 21, 2019
The New South Wales Government needs to intervene to fix “chronic” oversupply issues relating to the state’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) services, the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW branch has said. “We have a triple whammy situation at the moment...
Launch into Learning releases ECEC report card ahead of NSW election this weekend
The Sector - Freya Lucas - March 21, 2019
New South Wales voters who are passionate about early childhood education and care (ECEC) can take advantage of a report card, prepared by the Early Learning and Care Council of Australia (ELACCA), to support them in understanding commitments...
Election 2019: It’s Game On for the Women’s Vote
Women's Agenda - Kristine Ziwica - March 21, 2019
Also last week, the Economist released its’ latest glass ceiling index, which indicated that overall progress towards gender equality in Australia had stalled, and the report placed the blame for that squarely at the feet of this country’s paid maternity and paternity leave...
Sexual assault rates against children hit 10-year high in Victoria
Sydney Morning Herald - Craig Butt and Tammy Mills - March 21, 2019
That same year, Victoria made it mandatory for teachers, psychologists and childcare workers to report suspicions of child sex abuse, as well as sexting or inappropriate...
Childcare centre for Mont Albert North rejected again by Whitehorse Council
Herald Sun - Serena Seyfort - March 21, 2019
A contentious proposal to build a childcare centre in Mont Albert North has been rejected by Whitehorse Council for a second time - against the advice of planning officers. Councillors refused Folkestone Funds Investment Limited’s application for 451-453 Belmore Rd...
Two Goodstart Early Learning Centres forced to close permanently
Townsville Bulletin - Madura McCormack - March 21, 2019
DOZENS of Townsville parents have been forced to find new childcare spots for their kids after Goodstart Early Learning revealed two of its flood-affected centres would close their doors permanently. The Goodstart Early Learning Centre at Hermit Park and Village Drive...
Legislation on No Jab, No Play policy affecting early childhood education being introduced
News.com.au - Brad Crouch - March 20, 2019
No Jab, No Play legislation being introduced to state Parliament on Thursday will allow the state’s Chief Public Health Officer to prevent unvaccinated children from going to early childhood services in the event of an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease. Early childhood services...
State Government calls for 3.5% wage increase
The Courier Mail - Domanii Cameron - March 20, 2019
THE Palaszczuk Government has called for a 3.5 per cent increase to Australia’s minimum wage. Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the submission, which was made to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review, supported a $25.17 pay rise each week...
Finally, the before and after school care conundrum is a NSW election issue
The Conversation - Angela Priestley - March 20, 2019
Any working parent of kids in primary school knows the problem well: how do you work a standard eight hour work day, while juggling the drop offs and picks up associated with a standard six hour school day? And how do you manage the school holidays...
‘Overdevelopment’ causing gridlock in narrow, dead-end street
The Courier Mail - Brian Bennion - March 20, 2019
RESIDENTS of a small dead-end street at Cannon Hill fear they will be parked out around the clock after a childcare centre and a five-storey apartment complex were approved by council. Councillor Kara Cook (Morningside) has asked for the apartment complex at Andrews St...
Time to buy some babies? Childcare stocks might be worth a look this year
Stockhead - Rachel Williamson - March 20, 2019
If Labor wins the federal election, pencilled in for around May 18, the childcare sector may become a lot more interesting for investors than it was last year. Federal Labor is proposing to guarantee 15 hours a week of free childcare at state kindergartens for three and four year olds...
Kids need more play to excel in STEM, new study hopes to prove
Daily Telegraph - Lanai Scarr - March 19, 2019
Exclusive: If our kids want to have better jobs and be smarter in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, they need more play. That’s what a game-changing $3.2 million, five-year study by researchers at Monash University is hoping to prove...
Gastro outbreak across childcare centres prompts NSW Health warning
Blue Mountains Gazette - Eva Kolimar - March 19, 2019
NSW Health has issued an alert to parents and carers of young children about after a rise in viral gastroenteritis cases. The warning has been prompted by outbreaks at childcare centres across NSW and a high number of children aged under five seeking treatment...
Wife of former Dragon charged with $330k fraud from employer
Sydney Morning Herald - Shannon Tonkin - March 19, 2019
The wife of former St George Illawarra winger Reece Simmonds has fronted court accused of misappropriating hundred of thousands of dollars from a NSW south coast child care business. Mother-of-three Belinda Simmonds is facing 35 dishonesty charges...
Childcare centre dumped from Waverley bowlo redevelopment
The Daily Telegraph - Heath Parkes-Hupton - March 19, 2019
Easts chairman Nick Politis has confirmed Waverley Bowling Club’s proposed $83 million redevelopment will no longer include a childcare centre. In a letter penned to club members, Mr Politis said intensive community consultation had identified the centre - and its impact...
4 tips on returning to work after having a baby
Your Money - Jack Derwin - March 19, 2019
While everyone’s situation is different, the biggest factor will be what your childcare options are. “Roughly half of the parents having children being cared for are having them cared for outside formal childcare arrangements. It’s usually grandparents who take that role,” Dale explained...
Family day care swimming pool consultation open for comment
Mirage News - March 18, 2019
Public comment sought to inform potential changes to family day care regulations. The consultation period opens today for eight week. The State Government is seeking public comment on potential changes to regulations governing family day care residences that have swimming pools...
Deliver more for children and families – Everyone Benefits exerts election pressure
The Sector - Freya Lucas - March 18, 2019
Educators and leaders working in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector have been urged to get behind “an historic alliance” of early childhood experts and parents, calling on all political parties to ensure all Australian children can access at least two days...
Politicians feeling parental pressure for preschool education
The Australian - Rick Morton - March 18, 2019
Pressure on the major parties to provide funding certainty for preschool education programs and reform the childcare activity test that punishes vulnerable children the most is mounting ahead of the federal election with a new alliance of 27 organisations calling for change...
'Massive implications': when working families fall off the Hinch Cliff
Sydney Morning Herald - Jordan Baker and Sarah Keoghan - March 17, 2019
Families are dropping out of daycare, women are cutting back on work and children are beginning school before they are ready as a result of high income-earning families losing access to childcare subsidies. The early childhood industry fears children are missing out...
From play to pressure; a Finnish perspective on Australian schools
Sydney Morning Herald - Jordan Baker - March 17, 2019
In Finland, as in many European countries, early childhood education is free. Some centres are open 24 hours a day to accommodate children whose parents work shifts. Here, the family is facing a steep childcare bill for Noah. "This is something that makes us really feel bad...
New Highton childcare and health centre to offer after school care
Geelong Advertiser - Chad Van Estrop - March 16, 2019
AFTER school care will be offered next month at a recently opened $5.5 million childcare and health centre in Highton. The centre built on the site of the Bellaire Primary School has room for 110 kindergarten-aged children and will see the Highton Preschool relocate to it...
Catholic Early EdCare – a new brand to capture the spirit of early learning
The Catholic Leader - Joe Higgins - March 16, 2019
CATHOLIC Early EdCare is Catholic through and through. The new name, Catholic Early EdCare, has replaced Centacare Child Care Services and brought a fresh, faithful face to one of Brisbane archdiocese’s booming services. Catholic Early EdCare director Alana Crouch...
Australian first: Tasmania launches pilot program for three-year-old early learning
The Sector - Lyndsie Clark - March 15, 2019
The Tasmanian Government has launched a pilot program to provide two years of free early learning for three year old’s from the state’s low income and disadvantaged families, in an Australian first. Tasmanian Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff launched the pilot...
Significant funding boost to aid global health issues
The University of Newcastle - March 14, 2019
$941,274 awarded to Dr Serene Yoong and team for a first-of-its-kind trial to support childcare services with implementing continuous free-play schedules. These implementation programs ensure children are engaged in outdoor play to improve child activity...
NSW Liberal/National Party announce additional 2,300 community places for preschoolers
The Sector - Freya Lucas - March 14, 2019
An additional 2,300 places in new and existing community preschools will receive funding if the New South Wales Liberal/National party wins the state election to be held on 23 March 2019, the party has said. Current NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced...
Greens call for a “radical rethink” with early learning to be built in schools
The Sector - Freya Lucas - March 14, 2019
The Australian Greens Party has called for a “radical rethink” of New South Wales preschool and early learning services, ahead of the state election, in a policy announcement that would bring three and four-year-old preschool into the state’s public education system...
A strong mining sector means a strong NSW, giving $2 billion a year in royalty taxes
The Daily Telegraph - Stephen Galilee - March 14, 2019
Premier Gladys Berejiklian launched her campaign with a range of big promises on schools, hospitals and childcare, including $1.3 billion for a new hospital at Bankstown and an extra $917 million to build eight new schools and upgrade another 31. Across town, Labor Leader...
