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National News Australia

Is early childhood education and care affordable and accessible?

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Is early childhood education and care affordable and accessible?

IPART has released the Interim Report on its review of the early childhood education and care sector in NSW including draft findings about factors that drive affordability, accessibility, consumer choice and supply.

IPART Chair Carmel Donnelly encouraged community feedback on the draft recommendations to address barriers to affordability and access in the sector, currently used by more than 300,000 families in NSW.

“Improving access to early childhood education and care is critical for NSW families, “Ms Donnelly said.

“High quality early childhood education and care is closely linked to better long-term educational outcomes for children and increased workforce participation for parents, especially for women.”

Our review found there is scope to improve affordability, accessibility and choice for families in NSW, in particular for children with disability, additional needs or experiencing disadvantage or vulnerability.

IPART has made draft recommendations to simplify the funding system, improve availability of qualified workers and better support families and children with diverse needs.

“The funding system for early childhood education and care services is complex, fragmented and potentially inefficient, and this can lead to unintended negative outcomes,” said Ms Donnelly.

Governments should work together to develop an integrated funding approach to early childhood education and care which prioritises affordability and accessibility for families with greater disadvantage including those with lower incomes and families in regional or remote locations.

The report includes draft recommendations to improve flexibility and inclusion through targeted supports for children and families experiencing disadvantage or vulnerability.

The review found workforce availability and expertise are critical to the supply and accessibility of quality early childhood education and care services, with workforce shortages a significant problem for the sector.

“We have made a draft recommendation that the NSW Government develop an early childhood education and care workforce strategy to increase availability of suitably qualified workers and support educators to deliver high quality services,” said Ms Donnelly.

“We also suggest the NSW Government develop a digital service and data strategy to help families access early childhood education and care services. Better digital tools and data could help families find, choose and use services, and help service providers make better decisions about locating, expanding and supporting services.”

Ms Donnelly welcomed feedback from the community, including families, as well as providers and workers in the sector, on the draft findings and recommendations.

“We are particularly keen to hear from families, people who work in early childhood education and care and service providers,” Ms Donnelly said.

“This consultation will help us refine our draft findings and recommendations to the NSW Government to enable better outcomes for families and children.”

“We welcome submissions and invite people to complete a short survey online. We will also hold an online public hearing on 30 October 2023.”

IPART will make final recommendations in December this year. For more information, to take our survey, make a submission or register for the online public hearing, visit our website at www.ipart.nsw.gov.au.

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National News Australia

Two teens charged with property offences in Tamworth and Hunterview – Operation Regional Mongoose

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Two teens charged with property offences in Tamworth and Hunterview – Operation Regional Mongoose

Thursday, 25 July 2024 01:34:07 PM
Two teens will face court charged following an investigation into multiple break-ins and a pursuit in the state’s north.

Operation Regional Mongoose is a high-visibility police operation to tackle serious property-related crime, committed predominately by young offenders.

Officers attached to Oxley and Hunter Valley Police Districts commenced investigations into multiple break-ins and a pursuit in the Tamworth and Hunter Valley areas. Items of note:

Between September 2023 and July 2024, police commenced inquiries in relation to multiple property related offences in the Tamworth area. Following inquiries, about 1.40pm on Tuesday (23 July 2024), police attended a home in Tamworth and arrested a 14-year-old boy where he was taken to Tamworth Police Station.
Police executed an outstanding arrest warrant for traffic and criminal-related offences. He was also charged with breach of bail. The teen was refused bail and appeared at a Children’s court on Tuesday (23 July 2024), where he was given conditional bail to reappear at the same court on Tuesday 20 August 2024.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District commenced an investigation following reports of multiple aggravated break-ins and theft of vehicles in the Hunterview area throughout July 2024. On Thursday 11 July 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a home in Hunterview, and seized five sets of car keys that were allegedly stolen. Following inquiries, about 12.55pm yesterday (Wednesday 24 July 2024), a 17-year-old boy attended Tamworth Police Station and was arrested.
He was charged with two counts of aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence-people there, two counts of take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence-armed, face blackened/disguised with intent commit indictable offence, commit s 154A offence and disseminate, and breach of bail.

The teen was refused bail to appear at a Children’s court today (Thursday 25 July 2024).

Inquiries under Operation Regional Mongoose continue.

Anyone with information about Operation Regional Mongoose is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

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Two men arrested following Bondi police operation and pursuit

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Two men arrested following Bondi police operation and pursuit
Thursday, 25 July 2024 01:31:18 PM

Two men have been arrested following a police operation in Bondi this morning.

About 8.20am today (Thursday 25 July 2024), police were called to George Street, Dover Heights, following reports unknown men were allegedly seen walking around with firearms before leaving in a vehicle.

Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command arrived and immediately commenced patrols of the area.

Following inquiries, police located the vehicle, a Cupra SUV, travelling on Bondi Road, Bondi, a short time later.

Police directed the driver top stop, however when they allegedly failed to do so a pursuit was initiated.

The vehicle then stopped on Old South Head Road, Bondi, where the driver, a 20-year-old man, was arrested, and the passenger attempted to flee the scene.

Following an extensive search of the area – with assistance from specialist police – officers arrested a second man, aged 24, in the backyard of a nearby home.

Both men were taken to Waverly Police Station where they are assisting with inquiries.

Police have established a crime scene on Old South Head Road and have allegedly located and seized multiple firearms in the vehicle.

As inquiries continue, police are urging anyone with CCTV or information about the incident to contact Eastern Suburbs Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

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Man charged following incident at Miranda shopping centre – CTST Command

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Man charged following incident at Miranda shopping centre – CTST Command
Thursday, 25 July 2024 12:21:33 PM

A man has been charged following an incident at a shopping centre in Sydney’s south yesterday.

Just after 2.00pm Wednesday 24 July 2024, emergency services were called to a shopping centre on the Kingsway at Miranda, following reports of a man throwing bottles inside a bathroom on level one.

Officers from Sutherland Shire Police Area Command attended and located several bottles which were seized for further forensic analysis.

The shopping centre was not evacuated.

Police established a number of crime scenes and commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

About 2:16pm officers arrested a 21-year-old man nearby.

During a search of the man police located and seized a knife, a bottle, and other items.

He was taken to Sutherland Police Station, before being taken to hospital for treatment for a minor injury and assessment.

The man has been charged by officers attached to the Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command with possess in public place non-firearm for discharging irritant, custody of knife in public place – first offence, and leave/send substance/article create false belief danger.

He was bail refused to appear before Sutherland Local Court today (Thursday 25 July 2024).

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

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