Early childhood education

Analysis and Comment (5)

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The vast majority of childcare workers are women. Childcare image from www.shutterstock.com

Childcare wage reforms stop short of real change

By Chris Peers, Monash University

The federal government’s announcement this week on pay equity for the early childhood workforce is an important step for the childcare sector. But in the long term, it will provide little more than a…
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We can’t go backwards on early childhood education, it’s just important. Early childhood education image from www.shutterstock.com

Kindergarten cop-out: early childhood reforms must continue

By Susan Krieg, Flinders University

The Labor government is not often celebrated for its policy achievements, but there has been one area where it deserves some recognition – early childhood education. It started reforms to the sector in…
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Some pre-schools and early childhood centres are teaching young children self-defence – but is this ok? Child/self-defence image from www.shutterstock.com

Karate kids: should we be worried about martial arts in pre-schools?

By Timothy Lynch, Monash University

When you think of martial arts, you probably think of bare fists and bloodied faces, not a four year-old in a child care centre. But martial arts and self-defence programs do appear to be growing in popularity…
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The coalition needs to think big on childcare if it’s going to fix twin problems of cost and quality. Child play image from www.shutterstock.com

Child’s play: Coalition childcare inquiry doesn’t go far enough

By Eva Cox, University of Technology, Sydney

In announcing the terms of reference for a productivity commission inquiry into childcare, opposition leader Tony Abbott said “Australian families need a child care system that is not only affordable…
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The Federal government has secured rare uniform cooperation from the states on its early years learning reform. AAP/Paul Miller

The best start in life for the price of a cup of coffee

By Collette Tayler, University of Melbourne

Would you pay the equivalent of a coffee a day to guarantee a system whereby Australian children got the best start in life? From January this year, the Australian education system is changing its approach…

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