Long after ABC Learning Centres declared bankrupcy, bad news continues to flow with continued concern over the fate of 72o centres and 12,000 child care jobs. » Continue reading “More Bad News from Australia”

Short-selling; too much debt; related-party transactions; poor accounting; poor corporate governance – ahhh the langauge of child care.

The Australian Business Press has given us yet one more example of why profit and child care do not go together. Families want reliable, affordable child care. The stock market and the market place want quick profits. » Continue reading “What does short-selling have to do with child care?”

The ABC saga continues – although the move to transfer licenses to a not-for-profit organization shows the Australian government wants stability and quality in child care programs. In exchange, it appears that the Government may continue some form of core funding for the not-for-profit centres to ensure they are able to stay open. » Continue reading “241 ABC Child Care Centres to be taken over by not-for-profit”

A year ago, the OCBCC with the Ontario Federation of Labour sounded the alarm on for-profit child care by touring the Province and hosting community meetings. We warned that establishment of 123 Busy Beavers, linked with ABC Learning Centres in Australia would put at risk our vision of an affordable, universal child care system with well paid and well trained staff. » Continue reading “Waterloo Regional Council Votes to end moritoritum on funding to for-profit child care”

Echoing the same concerns that would are heard here in Canada, the  The Australian Services Union (ASU)  has urged the Federal Government to transfer child care to local government following the collapse of private sector companies, such as ABC Learning Centres. » Continue reading “Australian Union calls for not-for-profit care”

Australia’s child care movement says “don’t make the same mistake twice”.  Selling ABC to another for-profit company could mean Australia continues to pour money from parent subsidies into companies that may or may not be there when Australian families need them. » Continue reading “Australia: Movement to Take Child Care Public”

ABC Learning Centres’ collapse last year heightened parental anxiety about commercial child-care services:

“Victorian Principals Association president Gabrielle Leigh said many schools struggled with the administrative burden of after-school care and embraced private operators.

“Primary schools do not have that extra administrative time and get no extra funding in our school global budgets for providing before and after-school care,” Ms Leigh said. “It means schools can focus on learning and teaching.”

However, she agreed that investing any profits into care programs would improve quality”.

To read the full article, please click here.

From Child Care Watch Newsletter, Winter 2009

Together, we stopped 123 Busy Beavers from operating in Ontario. » Continue reading “Ontario’s Child Care Movement Takes on 123 Busy Beavers, ABC Learning Centres Bankrupt”

ABC Learning founder Eddy Groves is claiming $3.3 million inunpaid wages, holiday pay and long-service leave from the receiver of his collapsed childcare corporation. » Continue reading “You want $3.3 million for driving your company into the ground?”

Eddy Groves is the failed child care tycoon who once ran the world’s largest child care corporation. With his child care corporation bankrupt and leaving thousands of families and employees worried about their future, it appears that Mr. Groves has emerged from the controversy quite well. For years, Mr. Groves and the shareholders of ABC Learning Centres made money off of the company – today the Australian government is left to pick up the pieces. On top of child care subsidies, they have spend over $55 million dollars to keep ABC child care centres open.

While Groves prepares to celebrate, workers at ABC Learning have been left gobsmacked after receiving letters advising them they could be sacked without notice.

Workers of 55 centres, which closed last week, were issued with new contracts stating they would be subject to three months’ probation, and their employment could be terminated without notice.

To read the full story from the Daily Telegraph, click here.