The new school year is beginning and to celebrate, professor Christine Ure, head of school in the faculty of arts and education at Deakin University, has provided some timely advice for parents of children starting their first year of school. ...
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Light exposure a factor in childhood obesity: study
Queensland University of Technology has conducted a study revealing various levels and types of light exposure can affect children’s weight. “The circadian clock, also known as the internal body clock, is largely driven by our exposure to light and the timing of when ...
More »Parent should be ‘first teacher’: United Way
Australian Government data has revealed that 22 per cent of children begin school “developmentally vulnerable”, United Way Australia has stated. This means children starting school sometimes aren’t up to scratch with their language and cognitive skills, communication or general knowledge. With the ...
More »Opinion: rorts hurt children, even if laws are unjust
The federal government recently announced a crackdown on so-called ‘child swapping’ in early childhood care that was reportedly costing taxpayers about $8 million a week. This is not the first time the government has cracked down. Nor is it the first time ...
More »Successful ELLA trial means STEM app is next
Based on the success of the Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) trial app, the Turnbull Government has announced that it will commit $6 million to develop a similar, STEM-focused app for preschoolers. The minister for education, Simon Birmingham, said the ...
More »Link between cortisol levels in hair and stress from trauma: study
Recent research suggests important links between the experience of adversity, biology and mental health outcomes. The study, published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, examines the cortisol levels of 70 9-year-old Australian children. We recorded levels from head hair to determine total cortisol ...
More »Opinion: Nanny Pilot Programme a long step in right direction
The introduction of the Nanny Pilot Programme, which is funded by the Australian Government, is something to celebrate. Although there have been concerns about the lack of regulation, the program is still a step forward for families that require flexible ...
More »Funding cuts to hit programs that aid Aboriginal learning
Under the government’s proposed childcare package, the Budget Based Funded service program, which funds early education and care services for many Aboriginal communities, will terminate from July 2017. Geraldine Atkinson, deputy chairperson at the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care ...
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