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below, we offer continuous attention to important stories,
findings, and recent developments in childcare. Your email is
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CHILDREN who attend day-care centres or
playgroups have a 30 per cent less chance of
developing a life-threatening cancer, a study
has found.
Researchers found that children who had regular
contact with their peers and were exposed to a
multitude of infections were more likely to
develop a stronger immune system, helping them
fight the development of the most common form of
childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
read
more
THE Rudd Government is about to launch a
major takeover of child protection,
leveraging its control of family
assistance and childcare to intervene
earlier in the child abuse cycle. The
move comes in response to the deepening
crisis in state-based child protection
systems across Australia.
Among the wide-ranging reforms being
considered is a new Children's
Commissioner, who would monitor states'
performance in combating child abuse.
Encouraging all Australians to see that effectively
balancing work and family makes for stronger families,
workplaces and communities because it helps us to care
effectively for our entire family, including the elderly,
young, ill and those with a disability, and builds workplace
productivity and morale.
ABC
Learning Centres' revelations of problems at its Australian
childcare facilities come despite its insistence the
business had been performing "in line" with expectations.
In a forecast full-year loss of $89 million (including $280
million in losses on sale of US assets), ABC listed problems
including poor management of Australian and NZ occupancy
levels & poor roster management.
A recent study carried out by Swinburne’s Faculty of Life
and Social Sciences has dispelled myths about the need for
daily use of chemical disinfectants in childcare.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard says
it will be possible to have both private
and publicly funded services in the
one-stop childcare centres proposed by
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Mr Rudd will ask the 2020 summit this
weekend to consider the idea that would
see parents go to one centre for
childcare, pre-school learning, health
services and support programs.
Applications
are invited from eligible national women’s non
government organisations (NGOs) to undertake
projects that contribute to public policy and/or
service development, or help national women’s NGOs
become more effective.
Proposals must demonstrate relevance to one or more
of the following aims:
promote women’s social inclusion (for example,
projects that assist marginalised women to
better be able to participate in their
community); and/or
build women’s capacity to take on greater
leadership responsibilities; and/or
build the capacity of women’s non-government
organisations to represent the views of their
members and contribute to the development of
public policy and/or service delivery.
Applicants may apply for up to
$100,000 (excluding GST) per
project. Applications for funding must be for
outcome-based projects with tangible results that
will benefit women. Projects can be for national or
place-based solutions and must be completed within
12 months of commencement. It is anticipated that
funding will be allocated to successful applicants
by 30 June 2008.
A
very positive explanation of Family Day Care as a fully
approved, licensed, coordinated, and regulated model of
professional Australian childcare. A
very timely
article given the recent uncertainty about the financial
viability of a large corporate childcare operating many centres.
Not-for-profit
childcare providers have welcomed Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd's vision of
childcare centres in 2020, saying it is
what they have been advocating for
decades, but have voiced concern over
the commercialisation aspect.
Mr Rudd yesterday
announced his top priority at the 2020
summit was one-stop shops for parents of
young children; incorporating baby
clinics, long day care and playgroups,
pre-school and other family services,
all in a single location with universal,
subsidised access.
These background materials aim to tell an evidence-based
story about how Australia is faring. They are not intended
to be definitive or comprehensive, but were put together to
stimulate discussion on the main challenges and
opportunities facing the country and the choices to be made
in addressing them. They do not represent government policy.
As
pressure mounts on the Rudd Government to find billions of
dollars in savings in the May budget, economists call for a
review of the current "mishmash" of family payments, two
different Family Tax Benefits, two types of childcare
payment and the Baby Bonus - to ensure the $17 billion a
year serves a coherent policy purpose.
First it was homelessness, now Queensland
has claimed the dubious title of foster care
capital of Australia.
Latest Department of Child Safety figures
show the Sunshine State has more children in
foster care per capita than any other state,
prompting one leading welfare agency to
label Queensland's system the "worst" in the
country.
Morgan Stanley private equity will acquire
60% ownership of the US businesses of
Australia-headquartered ABC Learning Centres
at a firm value of $775 million. It will
also buy convertibles in ABC. ABC intends to
use the proceeds to repay syndicated bank
debt of A$750 million.
Tragically one child, often a toddler, is run over in the
driveway of their own home every week in Australia. In
Queensland, four children under five die each year as a
result of a low-speed run-over and 81 children present at
hospital emergency departments with injuries, usually
serious, with 60% requiring admission.
Take action to prevent this
WE'RE working more, playing less, and even
losing sleep - new figures on how Australians use their time
leaves no doubt life is a juggling act.
A report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows
people are shaving precious minutes off their time spent
sleeping, exercising and even eating -- with more time going
to commuting, child caring, shopping and
work.
A
report by economist Ross Garnaut has warned Australia must
take a lead role in tackling climate change or risk becoming
the most badly damaged country in the developed world.
Researchers
are warning the parents of babies to cut down on their use
of talcum powder, shampoo and lotions after a study has
linked them to high levels of hormone-altering chemicals in
infants urine.
ê
The job ahead |
Education News from The Age, February 18, 2008
Diana Ballint wants to be a childcare worker. She has opted
for the vocational subject community services work, which
she describes as "real hands-on experience". The Rudd
Government has promised $2.5 billion to equip each of the
nation's 2650 secondary schools with a trades training wing.
There are a growing
number of websites that
target the post-diaper,
pre-kindergarten set. A
new generation of sites
for preschoolers tout
themselves as offering
educational value and a
rich multimedia
experience, with some
charging monthly fees.
Stuart
Brown, president of the National Institute for Play,
discussed the importance of play. Brown called play part of
the 'developmental sequencing of becoming a human primate.
If you look at what produces learning and memory and
well-being, play is as fundamental as any other aspect of
life, including sleep and dreams.' Extended,
thoughtful article.
Women
with small children are not re-entering the workforce
because of the absence of family-friendly policies, which
include flexible working hours for working mothers, the
option to work from home, where feasible, and creche
facilities in the workplace.
New National Legislation for transporting
children is about to be introduced which will mean that ALL
children under 4 years of age will NOT be able to travel in
the front seat. In addition there will be more legislation
around the different types of restraints required according
to children’s ages etc. Please note this is in draft and
likely to be phased in within the next year in the same way
as seat belts originally were. We will keep you posted on
this legislation as more information comes to hand.
A national
child care computer system to provide the best information on child
care supply and usage that has ever been available across Australia
for families, services and the government. The new system
represents a significant investment by the government to improve the
supply of information and accountability across the child care
sector.
