Whether the policy benefits high-income or low-income families matters, but it also misses the point — early childhood policies need to focus on what benefits children.
The government will provide free child care in a move aimed at ensuring parents, especially in essential services, are able to keep working. More than 945,000 families with 1.3 million children will benefit.
If schools and childcare centres shut without the necessary support, Australia may permanently lose valuable teachers and early childhood educators.
In February, thousands of women marched in Mexico City to demand that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador do more to keep women safe. The protest sign featured here reads, ‘Don’t be indifferent.’
Reuters/Edgard Garrido/Reuters
Mexico is the second most dangerous country for women in Latin America. Yet the new government is slashing funding for programs meant to protect and empower women.
How do the major parties’ education commitments stack up?
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If you're confused about all the millions and billions thrown around for education by the two major parties, here's the low-down on what the policies actually mean.
Labor is promising to help hundreds of thousands of families have access to more affordable childcare. This is an important investment but the details of how it will work must be given priority.
Free childcare schemes aren't working and babies are too important to be left on the shelf.
Making preschool free will dramatically improve affordability for families across Ontario, Canada, and lead to a predicted increase of 40,000 parents in full-time employment.
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Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said that Australia spends more at a Commonwealth level on negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts than it does on child care or higher education. Is he right?
Labor aims to make quality early education and care more affordable for families.
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Labor has unveiled a $3 billion child care policy it will take to the polls on July 2. What has the party proposed and how is it different?
The shadow minister for early education, Kate Ellis, said child care costs had undergone a ‘massive increase’ since the last federal election.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
Labor's shadow minister for early education, Kate Ellis, said there has been a massive increase in child care costs under the Coalition government. Is that an accurate reflection of the data?
Policies aimed at increasing workforce participation, childcare and early childhood development all have gender implications.
AAP/Ben Macmahon
Under new legislation, children from low-income families will receive just 12 hours of early learning support a week, adding to the risk of these children falling behind their peers at school.