Latest news with #childcare
CTV News
2 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Simcoe County to boost affordable child care options with new strategy
Crayons are seen on a table at a new child care facility operated by the YMCA on Thursday, July 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
Two-year-old girl sexually assaulted at Victorian childcare centre, mother claims
A mother has claimed that her two-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a worker at a Victorian childcare centre but because there was no witness or CCTV of the alleged incidents, the educator is still working there and has not been charged. Angela* told Guardian Australia that her daughter, Emily*, had disclosed the alleged sexual offences in mid-December, when she was nearly three. She said that on multiple occasions Emily had named the educator and said the offences had taken place while her nappy was being changed. Within hours of the disclosure, Angela contacted Victoria police's sexual offences and child abuse investigation team, who encouraged her to take Emily to a doctor for a medical assessment as soon as possible. Clinical notes from an appointment the next day show the doctor was briefed on the allegations before Emily entered the room. When the doctor asked her about daycare, Emily named the educator and said she did not want to go there any more. The doctor said Emily had begun to mumble when asked for more detail. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email The doctor then conducted a medical examination before urgently referring Emily to a paediatrician for further examination. According to the clinical notes, Emily's parents were advised to keep her away from the childcare centre. The doctor noted that police were 'involved already for investigation'. Initially, Angela says, police told her not to report the allegations to the childcare centre. Two days after the doctor's appointment, they sought a statement from the child on tape. But Emily was uncomfortable and unwilling to engage with officers, so no statement was taken. Angela says that four days later an officer had told her they had consulted with senior colleagues and advised her that a magistrate would not be convinced Emily knew the difference between the truth and a lie. They encouraged Angela to tell the childcare centre about the allegations. After Angela reported Emily's allegations to the centre, the educator was temporarily suspended. The centre engaged a private firm specialising in workplace relations to conduct an investigation, as required by the Victorian government's reportable conduct scheme. A separate investigation was launched by the state education department to independently consider the allegations and to determine whether any regulatory action should be taken against the childcare centre. In a signed statement submitted to both investigations in February, Angela provided contemporaneous notes of her discussions with Emily about what had allegedly occurred to her and detailed accounts of her behaviour and physical symptoms. The investigators also assessed the doctor's clinical notes. With Angela's permission, the education department interviewed the doctor. The state government investigator also assessed a letter from Emily's 'accredited mental health social worker', which independently documented the child's allegation. This letter did not name the educator. The letter said Emily's behavioural symptoms were 'consistent with sexual assault victims'. It noted that Emily was 'triggered going down the same street as the childcare centre' and had allegedly told her parents she did not want to see the educator again. Despite this information, both investigations found the allegations were 'unsubstantiated' due to 'insufficient evidence'. Under the reportable conduct scheme, this category of finding acknowledges some 'significant strong evidence' but not enough to meet the high threshold required to substantiate the claim. Angela says an education department official told her she needed corroborating evidence, such as CCTV footage or a witness, to substantiate the allegations. Surveillance cameras are not mandatory in childcare centres. There was no witness to the alleged incidents. 'If this level of evidence doesn't meet the threshold, what ever could?' Angela said. 'Does a perpetrator need to document their own abuse with photos or video … for an allegation to be substantiated? 'Are we truly saying that a child's disclosure, medical corroboration and a PTSD diagnosis from a trauma specialist isn't enough unless the abuse is caught on tape?' While the allegations were not substantiated, Guardian Australia has confirmed that the same educator has had an allegation of improper non-sexual treatment of a different child upheld. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The incident, which occurred several years earlier and was outside the scope of Victoria's reportable conduct scheme, involved an older child. Documents show the staff member was given training on acceptable behaviours and child safety. In a letter to Angela, the centre's chief executive said: 'We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment from all children and will continue to monitor and review our practices that do not align with this commitment.' Last week the state government told Angela there was 'insufficient evidence to prosecute or take regulatory action'. 'The outcome does not infer that [the child's] disclosure was not recognised or taken seriously,' a senior investigator said in correspondence seen by Guardian Australia. The department investigated whether the centre was ensuring the safety, health and wellbeing of children. It assessed the centre's compliance history and said it would continue to be monitored. These unsubstantiated findings do not feature on working-with-children checks, despite the acknowledgment of some 'significant strong evidence'. At present there is no way for childcare centres to share these findings with other providers who may seek to hire the educator in the future. Days after receiving the education department's findings, Angela questioned why police had not launched their own formal investigation. In correspondence seen by Guardian Australia, Victoria police confirmed they had launched a preliminary investigation in the hope it could proceed without a recorded statement from the child. But this was 'unfortunately' not possible as, in their view, the child had only disclosed the alleged offending to her mother. 'I completely understand your concerns and have done everything within legislation that I can do at this stage,' a Victoria police officer wrote. Angela says Emily still talks about the alleged offending. She says her daughter, who is now three, remains 'deeply traumatised'. But she believes Emily may be willing to make a statement with appropriate support, once she is comfortable with police. Letters from Emily's counsellor show she is being told she is brave for telling her story. Her social worker says with continued support at home, and in her new childcare centre, Emily 'can learn to feel safe again'. * Names have been changed to protect privacy
SBS Australia
9 hours ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Federal parliament returns with a supersized Labor backbench
Federal parliament returns with a supersized Labor backbench Published 22 July 2025, 8:48 am The federal government tomorrow will introduce legislation to overhaul childcare safety following a string of scandals in recent weeks. Student debt too, also on the agenda as the 48th parliament was today sworn in.
Malay Mail
10 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
World Bank survey: Firms think women are key to performance, but offer little assistance for their biggest challenge — childcare
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Many Malaysian firms believe hiring more women significantly boosts productivity and makes their companies more attractive to talent. Despite this recognition, few are willing to assist with or accommodate a significant challenge women face in the workplace, namely childcare, according to a World Bank survey report released this afternoon. Over 60 per cent of employers surveyed for the 2024 Inclusive Employment Practices Survey agreed hiring more women improves productivity and talent attraction, yet care responsibilities and compliance with maternity regulations remain as major barriers. The finding came amid a backdrop of persistent underrepresentation of women in the workforce despite government efforts to reverse the longstanding trend. In 2024, women made up just 47 per cent of employees across firms. Their representation is visibly lower in construction, agriculture, and manufacturing; and high- and mid-level positions, especially in large firms and firms in the eastern and central regions. 'Despite most firms acknowledging the positive impact of hiring more women, particularly career returnees, barriers persist, often stemming from care responsibilities,' authors of the report said. 'These challenges include women's family commitments and adhering to government regulations such as the provision of maternity leave.' Concerns about low female labour participation are further heightened by Malaysia's sharp demographic shifts. The proportion of Malaysians aged 65 and above is projected to rise from approximately 8 per cent today to 14 per cent by 2043. As a result, the working-age population has already begun to shrink since 2020, posing significant challenges to the labour market. The rate of women working in Malaysia stood at just 56.2 per cent as of 2023, data from Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) Labor Force Survey 2023 showed. Malaysia lags behind high-income countries as well as regional peers such as Thailand (68 per cent), Vietnam (70 per cent), and Singapore (76 per cent). The World Bank said the Malaysian government has put in some measures to get women to work again but said more interventions are needed, including building more childcare centres through more money or tax incentives, and enhancing flexible work arrangements. 'Existing initiatives such as TalentCorp's Career Comeback Program (CCP) could be refined by tailoring support based on the skills and experience levels of returnees,' it said. 'Meanwhile the Flexible Work Arrangement Guidelines (Aturan Kerja Fleksibel, AKF) could incorporate strategies for managing productivity and efficiency which are key concerns for many firms,' the report added. Past studies have pointed to several reasons for women in Malaysia to not participate in the labour market. One of the main reasons cited is housework, including child and elderly care, as the main reason for not seeking work. In addition, while there are indications of shifting social norms, the absence of childcare options for children of all ages compels a large share of women to stay out of the labour market. This is further exacerbated by the lack of flexibility and unsupportive work environment.
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Tynwald backs new Childcare Inclusion Scheme
Tynwald has backed a move to improve childcare provision for those with additional Childcare Inclusion Scheme, which will be launched in September, makes funding available to nursery and early education providers along with guidance to improve follows the Childcare Strategy backed by Tynwald in 2022 highlighting a shortfall in the area, and funding announced in the 2025.26 budget to improve access for children with complex Minister Daphne Caine said it was an "important step" towards inclusive childcare. The scheme "recognises that some children need more support to access early education and childcare and that providers need the right tools to offer it", she said. 'Big gap' Providers will be able to apply for up to £8,568 of funding per year to provide enhanced staffing ratios and specialist resources to better support eligible £468 per eligible child will be made available to enhance the setting and make it accessible beyond reasonable Lawrie Hooper said while he was "supportive" of the proposals, the funding did not apply for childcare providers for before and after school clubs."That is a big gap", he said, because then as children go through the ages, "the funding doesn't follow them".He questioned how the Department of Education, Sport and Culture would ensure they continued to be Julie Edge asked where there were spaces available for children in existing childcare and early education provision on the said a childcare working group would look at whether there was a need to develop "a more specialist complex needs nursery" from July said an estimated £1.73m was being made available to deliver the scheme. The department had a "statutory obligation" to meet additional needs during school term time, but not for holiday clubs and after school clubs, Caine added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
