Latest news with #Affinity
CTV News
20-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Affinity Credit Union - How to get ready for the property of your choice
Regina Watch Ask an Expert: Affinity Credit Union. In this segment, we learn more about pre-qualifications and preapprovals in your house search. #sponsoredcontent
The Age
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Age
Frankie thought her daughter was safe at daycare. Her child's life changed forever
'Stevie will frequently be picked up with soiled underwear (and it will be evident she had been in them for quite a while), which then causes rashes and UTIs with her … This has been an ongoing issue [I have] raised to staff,' she wrote. 'This is pure neglect of Stevie's basic needs and something that shouldn't happen to any child.' An Affinity spokesperson said the educator responded to her email but had no record of Scott's response. In late 2023, Stevie was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Ultrasounds showed issues in Stevie's kidney and urinary tract, including scarring and signs of blockages, which a radiology report sighted by this masthead said were most likely due to UTIs. Scott said Stevie has undergone several surgeries and would need an ostomy and stoma bag as well as a kidney transplant. Stevie was unenrolled from the centre in August 2023. Scott, who was undergoing treatment for breast cancer at the time, wishes she had pulled Stevie out sooner and has lost all faith in the sector, saying: 'Stevie still tells me how much she hated it there.' An Affinity spokesperson said the allegations were 'very serious' and would need to be substantiated by medical evidence. They also suggested heat may have caused the disease, pointing to previous media interviews during which Scott discussed how heat exacerbated Stevie's existing kidney condition. 'We take all medical conditions seriously and ensure they are managed appropriately in line with our regulatory obligations … Our concern is always for the wellbeing of children, and we genuinely feel for any child in circumstances like these,' the spokesperson said. The scores of compliance notices issued to Affinity highlighted a litany of serious failures at the Spring Farm centre. They found that a child was made to drink their liquid medication from a paint cup; that during one site visit there were 92 children in attendance and 'nearly no childhood teachers'; that an educator dragged a child by both arms to a bed, leaving fingernail scratches in the child's arm; one mopped around a child, bumping the dirty mop against a child's legs and head; a child walked out of the centre towards the gate; and an educator failed to intervene when children were being kicked and punched by other children. Loading Issues were also raised around the 'dangerous facilities', including exposed nails, blocked emergency exits, and a build-up of litter and rubbish. An Affinity spokesperson said the regulator's decision to suspend Spring Farm's licence was 'disappointing', given the centre's work with the regulator to improve compliance, including improving its National Quality Standards rating and reducing staff turnover. 'We have seen significant improvement in that time, which we are proud of,' the spokesperson said. 'We recognise the distress and disruption this suspension will have on the families and team members at Spring Farm, and we are committed to doing all we can to support them at this time.' Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said the government would improve the 'quantity and the quality of services' in childcare. An independent review into the NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority was launched in February, and an interim report is due later this month. 'We will not hesitate in acting on recommendations that ensure childcare in this state is safe and of a high quality,' Car said.
Sydney Morning Herald
14-05-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Frankie thought her daughter was safe at daycare. Her child's life changed forever
'Stevie will frequently be picked up with soiled underwear (and it will be evident she had been in them for quite a while), which then causes rashes and UTIs with her … This has been an ongoing issue [I have] raised to staff,' she wrote. 'This is pure neglect of Stevie's basic needs and something that shouldn't happen to any child.' An Affinity spokesperson said the educator responded to her email but had no record of Scott's response. In late 2023, Stevie was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Ultrasounds showed issues in Stevie's kidney and urinary tract, including scarring and signs of blockages, which a radiology report sighted by this masthead said were most likely due to UTIs. Scott said Stevie has undergone several surgeries and would need an ostomy and stoma bag as well as a kidney transplant. Stevie was unenrolled from the centre in August 2023. Scott, who was undergoing treatment for breast cancer at the time, wishes she had pulled Stevie out sooner and has lost all faith in the sector, saying: 'Stevie still tells me how much she hated it there.' An Affinity spokesperson said the allegations were 'very serious' and would need to be substantiated by medical evidence. They also suggested heat may have caused the disease, pointing to previous media interviews during which Scott discussed how heat exacerbated Stevie's existing kidney condition. 'We take all medical conditions seriously and ensure they are managed appropriately in line with our regulatory obligations … Our concern is always for the wellbeing of children, and we genuinely feel for any child in circumstances like these,' the spokesperson said. The scores of compliance notices issued to Affinity highlighted a litany of serious failures at the Spring Farm centre. They found that a child was made to drink their liquid medication from a paint cup; that during one site visit there were 92 children in attendance and 'nearly no childhood teachers'; that an educator dragged a child by both arms to a bed, leaving fingernail scratches in the child's arm; one mopped around a child, bumping the dirty mop against a child's legs and head; a child walked out of the centre towards the gate; and an educator failed to intervene when children were being kicked and punched by other children. Loading Issues were also raised around the 'dangerous facilities', including exposed nails, blocked emergency exits, and a build-up of litter and rubbish. An Affinity spokesperson said the regulator's decision to suspend Spring Farm's licence was 'disappointing', given the centre's work with the regulator to improve compliance, including improving its National Quality Standards rating and reducing staff turnover. 'We have seen significant improvement in that time, which we are proud of,' the spokesperson said. 'We recognise the distress and disruption this suspension will have on the families and team members at Spring Farm, and we are committed to doing all we can to support them at this time.' Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said the government would improve the 'quantity and the quality of services' in childcare. An independent review into the NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority was launched in February, and an interim report is due later this month. 'We will not hesitate in acting on recommendations that ensure childcare in this state is safe and of a high quality,' Car said.
Sky News AU
13-05-2025
- Sky News AU
'Every parent's nightmare': Worker at major childcare provider caught on camera repeatedly slapping baby in disturbing video
A Sydney worker has been caught slapping a baby multiple times at a prominent childcare centre, sparking major concerns for children's safety at one of Australia's largest childcare providers. In the shocking video filmed at an Affinity Education centre in south Strathfield, a staff member can be seen slapping a crying baby across the face multiple times while laughing during the cruel act. The worker behind the camera posted the ordeal to Snapchat in 2023 and can be heard laughing alongside her colleague in the footage. The video was obtained by the ABC's 7.30 program in a damning investigation into Affinity Education- one of Australia's largest for-profit childcare companies which has previously been hit with 1,700 regulatory breaches. The childcare worker in the video has been sentenced to a community corrections order and banned from working in childcare for 12 months. Her colleague who recorded the footage has resigned from her role. A former Affinity employee told the ABC the latest scandal at the childcare centre was a result of hiring the wrong people and not enough supervision, checks or balances. She further added Affinity prioritised keeping the costs down, including wages. "They were also putting on lots of trainees, like young trainees that were cheap to employ and that put a lot of pressure on the qualified staff," she told the ABC. "They [Affinity] are just not suitable to be in the childcare industry because they are just so greedy. "They cut staff, they put the staff under so much pressure … they're just a big company that wants to make money out of children." Another former educator said Affinity was more focused on business outcomes rather than children's safety. Affinity Education CEO Tim Hickey spoke on the disturbing video and said the business had acted swiftly after it was informed by police. "I want to express again how profoundly sorry I am that something like this could occur to any child in our care," he said. "These incidents are not representative of the dedicated, professional team who care for children every day across thousands of centres.'' The latest incident has ignited national outrage, Sydney radio host Ben Fordham on Tuesday morning labelling it "one of the most disturbing" acts he has seen in a long time. "It is sickening," Fordham said on his 2GB show. "It's every parent's nightmare, you think these people are looking after your little one, instead they are slapping your baby and sharing the video with their friends on Snapchat." Fordham further criticised the regulator's disciplinary action against the childcare worker in the video and suggested she should be "banned for life". Additional documents obtained by the ABC expose a concerning environment for children's safety at Affinity centres across the nation due to staffing and safety issues. According to the ABC, in another recent case a mother picked up her son from an Affinity centre in Canberra and immediately knew something was wrong. The child was acting unusually and lethargic at home, and the next day he was taken to hospital after his arms had swollen to twice their size. Hospital scans confirmed the child had suffered a spiral fracture, which can be caused by forceful twisting. Further, at a centre in Elderslie, in south-west Sydney, CCTV footage showed a toddler being pulled by the arm by a staff member and pushed across a room in 2023, according to the ABC. Affinity runs about 250 centres nationwide, including the brands Papilio, Milestones and Kids Academy. Despite recording over 1,700 regulatory breaches between 2021 and 2024, the company has been fined less than $2,000 over the period.
Korea Herald
17-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Japan's SBI to become Kyobo Life's second-largest shareholder
Japanese finance giant to raise its stake in Kyobo Life to 20% Japan's SBI Holdings is set to increase its stake in Kyobo Life Insurance to 20 percent, becoming the second-largest shareholder of the South Korean insurer. According to industry sources Thursday, the Tokyo-based financial group is seeking to acquire an additional 11 percent stake from other financial investors, following its purchase of roughly 9 percent in March from private equity firm Affinity Equity Partners. 'SBI acquired about 9.1 percent last month from Affinity and is in the process of purchasing another 11 percent from other financial investors, which would bring its total stake to around 20 percent,' an official familiar with the matter said. Affinity sold its 9.05 percent stake in a deal valued at 430 billion won ($303 million), effectively ending a protracted dispute with Kyobo Life Chair and CEO Shin Chang-jae. SBI, short for Strategic Business Innovator Group, is looking to tap Kyobo Life's digital capabilities to revamp its own insurance business, according to Nikkei's report. With the latest transactions, SBI's total investment in the Korean insurer is expected to reach 100 billion yen ($700 million). Once the deal is finalized, SBI will become Kyobo Life's second-largest shareholder after Shin and his family, who collectively hold about 36 percent. Should SBI's stake reach 20 percent, it would trigger the application of the equity method under Korean accounting rules — requiring SBI to incorporate a portion of Kyobo Life's financials into its own statements. The latest deals mark SBI's return to Kyobo Life after a 16-year hiatus. The Japanese group previously held a roughly 5 percent stake between 2007 and 2009. Despite its earlier exit, SBI has maintained close ties with the Korean insurer. In 2015, the two companies formed a consortium to launch a digital bank and, in 2022, jointly invested in Southeast Asia through a venture capital initiative. Last year, they signed an agreement to deepen collaboration in digital finance. The Japanese firm's personal connection with Chairman Shin Chang-jae is also notable. Shin's younger son, Shin Joong-hyun, previously built his career at SBI's insurance and digital banking units. He now leads the digital strategy division at Kyobo LifePlanet, the company's digital-focused subsidiary.
