An in-home childcare program has been launched in the remote Port Hedland community of Western Australia, seeking to help families employed in the region to balance the responsibilities of family and work. Port Hedland, established in 1896, is found on the Pilbara coast, 1765 km northwest of Perth.

Andrea Broadfoot, Centre Alliance Candidate for Grey, a rural electorate in South Australia, has said a “critical shortage” in childcare places is forcing young families to leave Port Lincoln, given the lack of provision for both parents in a family to work at the same time.

All new buildings in Adelaide’s CBD would include space for a childcare service, according to a new proposal by Adelaide’s Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor, 9News has reported.

The southern suburbs of Sydney could be home to a 24 hour childcare centre, should a proposal put to local council be successful, the Sydney Morning Herald have reported. The centre would be the second in the New South Wales capital to provide education and care to children whose parents work shifts.

Charter Hall Education Trust, formally known as Folkestone Education Trust, has confirmed the successful placing of $120 million of new units to fund the acquisition of 13 new purpose-built early childhood education and care centres.