Child Care

An investigation is underway after a young child went missing from a childcare centre in Sydney's south for several hours on Tuesday, in an incident the acting education minister has called "unacceptable".

A working mum has hit out at the way the closure of a Tasmanian town's childcare centre has been handled, with families left without an option for their kids.

Busy Bees New Lambton failed to report a serious fall until a child presented to hospital nearly a month later with a fractured skull, budget estimates has heard.

Australia's long overdue reforms to improve safety across the nation's childcare centres are a start but still a long way off best practice compared to other countries, writes Conor Duffy.

Education Minister Jason Clare says the new measures won't be a "silver bullet" but they will help improve the safety of children in childcare.

A former early childhood teacher who has worked in several states and territories says she quit the profession after working in Western Australia.

A national trial of CCTV cameras in hundreds of childcare centres is expected to get the green light at a meeting with federal, state and territory education ministers in Sydney today.

Industry advocates say the federal government must do the heavy lifting when it comes to overhauling the child care sector.

The man who smashed his way into a childcare centre, sending staff and children into lockdown, had multiple convictions for drug, stalking, and weapon offences.

The 29 childcare centres were the first issued with compliance actions over ongoing failures to meet quality standards, following laws passed by parliament last month. 

Former childcare workers at a centre where a man is alleged to have sexually assaulted two children speak out about a culture of secrecy in the centres.

Mobile phones will be banned in WA childcare centres and more money provided for safety checks after a snap one-month review into the sector.

The police Ethical Standards Command is investigating the death of a man at a childcare centre on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

A regional Victorian childcare worker is facing allegations of sexually assaulting two children and grooming a child in out-of-home care, an ABC investigation reveals.

Queensland's Department of Education says the change of service name will have no impact on investigations.

Parents of young children are looking at alternative options to daycare centres as the sector and governments troubleshoot child safety and compliance issues.

Reports of children being abused in childcare have sent politicians and policymakers into overdrive, searching for solutions. A big question remains: Do we need to be brave enough to start again?

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland promises governments will "pull out all stops" to close loopholes being used by child abusers by the end of this year, just hours after saying it could take up to 12 months.

The head of the state's Child Abuse Squad tells an inquiry that offenders are likely to "shop around" and work at childcare centres that do not have strong measures in place to prevent abuse.

Children's commissioner Anne Hollonds says regulations are far too weak in a sector supposed to care for Australia's youngest and most vulnerable citizens.