‘I was 170th on their list’. Marg Rogers, Margaret Sims and Michelle Gossner report on the growing regions in “childcare deserts”. Imagine living in a town where three or more families are competing for a single early learning place. This is the reality for many families in...
Childcare and Common Illnesses: What Parents Need to Know When your child starts attending childcare, it's common to encounter a range of illnesses. From respiratory infections to skin conditions, these illnesses spread quickly among children, who are often in close contact with one another. While it’s...
Our research shows they like being in groups, reports Ben Bradley and Jane Margot Selby When parents are starting their babies in daycare, a common concern is whether it is good for little ones to be away from their primary carers for long periods of time. But as...
Researcher Marg Rogers, looks closer at the report and also at why educators are leaving in droves The Productivity Commission has just released a major report as part of its inquiry into early childhood education and care. The draft recommendation that all children under five should...
Fees keep climbing, and the Australian consumer watchdog is only halfway through an inquiry into childcare prices, reports Danielle Wood The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s interim report was released on Wednesday. It comes just days after the federal government’s increased childcare subsidies kicked in on...
Real dirt, no fake grass and low traffic – say Anne-Marie Morrissey and Deborah Moore Choosing a childcare centre for your child can be a challenging process. To start with, choices may be limited if there are not many childcare centres in the area where you live...
Researcher Peter Hurley, reports that about 9 million Australians, 35% of the population, live in neighbourhoods classified as childcare deserts – populated areas where there are more than three children per childcare place. In the first research of its kind in Australia, the Mitchell Institute has...
Much of the research about including children with autism in mainstream classrooms is focused on school-aged children.Writes Kristelle Hudry and Cathy Bent Growing numbers of children with autism are diagnosed in toddlerhood, so there is increasing relevance for the early-childhood sector. Our new research shows, with...
Staff and children in preschool and childcare aren’t being protected like in schools. We need a national plan, writes Thea van de Mortel By late January, more than 400 early learning centres were closed across the country due to the Omicron wave, and many more were...
Here are 4 of them writes Marg Rogers Thousands of families are without childcare as hundreds of services have had to close due to a surge in COVID cases, while many more are running at reduced capacity. Many parents dread another chaotic year that may have...
