Ella Hopkins’ Post

The looming closure of Coastal Family Day Care's Upper Burnie centre in Tasmania has left parents like Mel Woodiwiss feeling daunted and uneasy about the uncertain future of childcare in the region. Despite a year-long search, the centre has grappled to secure a new venue, and with the short-term bi-monthly lease likely concluding next year, the situation is becoming increasingly worrisome. For parents like Uma Sriharsha, childcare is more than a necessity; it plays a crucial role in her daughter Jhanvi's social and emotional development. The potential closure of the centre not only affects individual families but exacerbates the broader childcare crisis in the region, impacting essential workers and potentially hindering regional growth. The ongoing struggle to find a suitable venue highlights the need for a collaborative approach from all levels of government to address the childcare challenges faced by the community, emphasising that if the centre closes, everyone stands to lose. #childcare #accessiblechildcare #regionalchildcare

We know too well that local childcare centres are struggling to meet the demands of our communities due to a shortage of educators and teachers. Consequently, these centres can't function at their full capacity, leading to significant challenges for working families. The absence of reliable childcare options limits parents, particularly women, in their ability to fully engage in the workforce, and it also takes a toll on business productivity for their employers. One business owner in Mackay has come up with her own solution to this... https://lnkd.in/ep5nirWK #thisisourchildcare #earlychildhoodeducation #earlylearning #education #earlychildhood #kindergarten #childcare #earlyyears #earlychildhoodeducator #earlylearningmatters #educators #educatorshortage

After you read Lauren Ohnesorge's excellent piece, head over here: https://lnkd.in/ebG_PRSt Coworking is solving a lot of the big issues of our life, not smallest being the childcare dilemma that working parents face. It's a trend Coworks serves and honors. #coworking #workingparents #futureofwork

Could a Nanny Share work for your family? With the cost-of-living crisis and the cost of childcare increasing alongside limited nursery places, we’re seeing an increase in families pooling resources to create nanny shares. On paper, this looks like an attractive approach, but it takes a bit of consideration and effort to get it right. This post outlines some of the things to consider. And a framework to follow to (hopefully) make a shared nanny relationship work. https://lnkd.in/dhu58jTr #NannyShare #FindaNanny #LocalNanny #NannySearch #Parents #Parenting #Childcare #Family #FamilyLife #WorkingParents

This week, Rachel Carrell (Koru Kids) has been posting about why nurseries in the UK are so screwed. These conversations are so important to have because there is such a big misunderstanding about how the childcare sector works as well as so many assumptions around support that 'should' be available to families and childcare settings, but just isn't. As a mother, entrepreneur operating very closely to the childcare space and just generally a human that cares about our future economy, the pivotal role nurseries play cannot be overstated. Rachel's posts, accompanied by comments from genuinely shocked individuals grappling with the systemic issues, reminded me of a defining moment in our CocoRio journey. Preparing for our first demo day pitch, Corinna Bordoli and I sought help due to a pretty crap deck, we were so nervous we'd decided we'd read our pitch instead of deliver it confidently and our storytelling skills were, well, a work in progress. In a meeting with a gentleman enlisted to help shape our narrative, we emerged with little constructive input but with two standout annoying comments: 1️⃣ "Don't both pitch, it just doesn't work." 2️⃣ "I've never paid for childcare for my kids, so I don't see why anyone would." Reflecting on this encounter, especially point number two, I couldn't help but consider the essential conversations we could have had with someone who failed to see the childcare issue, likely because his partner had to sacrifice their career to care for their children. In that moment, we didn't have the words nor the confidence to explain the reality, but people need to know, and this is why Rachel's posts are so important. Our pitch succeeded, securing 3rd place, thanks to Chris Allington who understood our vision. And the crowd enjoyed hearing from both Corinna Bordoli and myself! This story reflects a broader truth: people often overlook issues until they directly affect them. But childcare affects us all. We know that: 🧠 The early years is crucial for children's healthy development 🤰Parents and in particular mothers have been pushed out of work for way too long because it hasn't made financial sense for them to pay for childcare 🏫 Nurseries and childminders have been operating at a loss and closing right left and centre There's so much that needs to be done to fix the current system but what's obvious is we must first better fund the sector. With improved funding, career breaks become choices, childcare professionals gain deserved recognition, and our future workforce gets a better start to life. As for CocoRio in all this? Well I hope that one day the government will recognise the importance of 'informal' in-home childcare, support families in paying for this if it suits their lives better which will in turn increase access to healthy child development and emotional wellbeing through creativity. You can find Rachel's posts in the comments ⬇️ #FundTheFuture #EarlyYearsMatter #childcare

Sometimes you get story ideas from your own life. Like when you call an infant childcare facility in Knightdale only to realize the wait list... for infants... is two years long. After the initial panic subsided, I started thinking there has to be an entrepreneurship story here for Inno. So I did a little digging, and of course Triangle entrepreneurs are thinking about this problem. So yes, I found a story. (And childcare options for this fall after several, several more calls) But the childcare crisis is so much bigger than can be expressed in either a Linkedin post or this story. Also. If you're thinking about having kids in 2026, may want to get on the phone now. You are welcome. #childcare #wakecounty #raleigh #womeninbusiness #100femaleentrepeneurs

#Nannies and #childminders offer perhaps the most undervalued but flexible early years provision there is and provide individualised support to the whole family. We’re in the eye of the childcare crisis storm right now and we need more appropriate and relevant regulation, as well as recognition of the unique qualities of childcare services offered in the home. This is a hugely valuable but often overlooked area which could revolutionise early years provision and change lives for the good. Yes, #norlandnannies may not be the answer for everyone, but #regulation of nannies could ensure a baseline of quality, giving families more confidence in their decisions and opening up the nanny sector to more people, thus offering more choice for families. #homebasedchildcare #earlyyearseducation #workingfamilies #family #children

Childcare and early learning is one of many essential elements to a thriving community and healthy families. In business, we can be incredible leaders to support the ongoing crisis — Want to know one easy and effective way? See it as an opportunity to better understand the needs of your workforce — know the childcare needs of working parents — and then use that data to explore how to build a stronger culture. Need some tips or guidance? See our Business Toolkit: https://lnkd.in/gxG3GWPC #onesiouxfalls #brainarchitects #workforcebehindtheworkforce #culturetransformation

More parents in England plan to increase their working hours or return to work as they become eligible for free childcare support, but many are struggling to access childminders or nursery places. According to long-term savings business Phoenix Group, 71% of working parents said they would increase their hours if they could access free childcare support, and 64% of those currently out of work said they hoped to return to employment. To what extent has your organisation been affected by this? https://hubs.li/Q02rDTfg0 #Childcare #WorkingParents #ReturnToWork #FinancialWellbeing

Outback communities in Queensland are facing a severe "childcare crisis", with many towns entirely devoid of early learning facilities. Parents like Mary-Ellen Blacket in Boulia are left juggling multiple roles, including incidental childcare for friends, just to manage daily life. With no early learning centre within 300 kilometres and waiting lists stretching up to two years, the burden on families is immense. The Queensland government's recent decision to grant a waiver to one early learning centre, allowing it to remain open without the required 50% qualified staff, highlights the desperate measures being taken. However, this stopgap solution does not address the underlying issue of skilled worker shortages. Parents often have to take care of each other's children, impacting their ability to work and contribute to their communities effectively. Talking to ABC News, our Campaigns Director Maddy Butler emphasises the need for a comprehensive approach. "We need governments to step in and take on a public management role while there are still areas that have no access to early childhood education and care," she states. Last week, the Access for Every Child Coalition, supported by 52 organisations (Grain Growers Limited, National Farmers' Federation, Royal Far West, BUSHkids, Early Learning Association Australia and Australian Multiple Birth Association (AMBA) among them), launched a joint statement at Parliament House in Canberra. We are calling on the Federal Government and State and Territory Governments to ensure all children in regional, rural and remote areas receive equitable access to early childhood education. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gzs7jzbA Find out more about the Access for Every Child Coalition here: https://lnkd.in/geMjqESd