Families and staff speak out about safety concerns at Guardian childcare centres in Canberra
Parents and former educators at Guardian Childcare and Education in Canberra tell the ABC about instances where children were forgotten outside, served mouldy bread and spoiled food, narrowly escaped anaphylactic reactions, and returned home in soiled nappies.
Parenting teenagers can be challenging. But there's at least one piece of advice most experts agree on
How do we ensure that our teenagers reach out to us when things take a turn for the worse? Bec Sparrow shares the top three tips she has learned from the experts in Parental As Anything Teens this season.
Death of 11-week-old in squalor followed 'significant missed opportunity' for intervention
A baby who died in squalid conditions on a fold-out couch at a home in regional SA would have been removed from the property days earlier if child protection authorities had responded to an early warning, a coronial inquest concludes.
Childcare centre investment the 'best $100k' this country council has ever spent
After five years of lobbying and a significant investment, the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River hopes a local childcare centre will be open by the end of the year.
Summer May knew a lack of childcare was harming her career. So she teamed up with another parent to find the proof
Determined parents battling childcare waiting list stress have gathered crucial data to advocate for solutions ahead of a Productivity Commission report into the sector.
Families facing childcare shortages put their own solutions on the table
Determined parents battling childcare waiting list stress have gathered crucial data to advocate for solutions ahead of a Productivity Commission report into the sector.
Duration: 1 minute 45 seconds
Over 160,000 parents in child support system failed to lodge tax returns
Experts warn failing to lodge a tax return is a common tactic used by parents to avoid their full child support obligations and should be recognised as a form of economic abuse.
Duration: 5 minutes 43 seconds
Childcare provider excludes boy from attending after epilepsy diagnosis
The childcare provider has been accused of discrimination, but advocates say the situation is not unique.
Duration: 1 minute 48 seconds
'It's constant torture': Heartbreak as 4yo excluded from kindergarten after epilepsy diagnosis
The parents of a four-year-old boy are furious he was removed from his long-time early learning centre after being diagnosed with epilepsy. Advocates say it's not an isolated incident.
Mackenzie Arnold looks to inspire a new generation of readers and footballers
Star goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold is releasing a series of children's books, drawing on her own life and career as she hopes to inspire the next generation.
Duration: 5 minutes 18 seconds
Outback Queensland parents desperate for childcare mind each other's kids to keep jobs
With outback towns stuck in a cycle of workforce shortages and a dire need for childcare, parents are taking care of each other's children so they can keep their jobs.
Commissioner says Indigenous kids 'unnecessarily' removed from families
April Lawrie tabled a report in SA parliament on Wednesday which found First Nations children's rights are being 'trampled on'.
Duration: 1 minute 43 seconds
Montessori childcare chain in SA goes into voluntary administration
Childcare chain Precious Cargo — which has seven operating centres across Adelaide — is searching for a new buyer after going into voluntary administration this week.
Pre-schools to receive major funding injection in South Australia
The funding is to implement recommendations from former prime minister Julia Gillard's Royal Commission.
Duration: 1 minute 55 seconds
Remote mining town brings in international workers to solve childcare workforce shortages
A small town in the heart of Queensland's coal country is taking an innovative approach to address one of the biggest problems facing Australian families: childcare shortages.
Budget confirms $1.1 billion spend to add super to paid parental leave
The federal budget measure — slated to begin in July next year — is a $1.1 billion promise over four years to help improve the retirement outcomes for working mothers.
Victoria's free pre-school program delayed
Teacher shortages and the government pushing back the construction of child care centres is being blamed for the delay.
Duration: 2 minutes 13 seconds
The Victorian government pitched free kinder as a no-brainer for families. The reality is more complex
Experts say Victoria's Free Kinder program is "groundbreaking", but it's not working for all centres and a planned expansion has been delayed.
For 18 months, Nat couldn't find a childcare centre that would take her triplets
Nat Dunworth was forced to send her triplets to two different childcare centres each week for 18 months.
High staff turnover and vacancies adding to NSW child protection crisis
Staff shortages mean caseworkers are only able to visit a fraction of children reported to be at risk.
Duration: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Queensland's Free Kindy program dubbed 'ill thought-out' after widespread confusion and disappointment
While a colourful television campaign promised families the Queensland government was "making kindy free" this year, the rollout of the program has resulted in widespread confusion and disappointed parents.
'Quit my job or move to Melbourne': Families face confronting choices as childcare hub shuts
Erin Paech's "gut just dropped" when she was told her north-west Victorian town of Hopetoun's only childcare centre would be closing after being unable to fill two vacant qualified educator roles.
Children lagging behind in the classroom in WA's South West amid applications for specialist funding
Data from the latest Australian Early Development Census shows kids in the town of Bunbury are behind in developing vital behavioural skills, but a childcare coordinator hopes a grant application to secure a specialist will help overcome that.
Outback businesswoman opens childcare centre for her staff's kids, with ripples felt throughout the community
Heather Pearce always had trouble attracting qualified professionals to her Broken Hill medical practice for long-term roles— until she made sure their kids had child care.
Teachers unsure when they can return to work amid two-year wait for childcare
In this coastal region south of Adelaide, teachers are among parents who remain unsure when they can return to the workforce as the waiting time for a childcare place balloons to two years.