The Algorithm Age

Horrific allegations of child sexual abuse in childcare centres across Melbourne have put the role of men in early childhood education back in the spotlight. Coming after other major media reports of child mistreatment in care, many parents are feeling very anxious about the safety of their children. Some may be deeply suspicious of men working so closely with children. That caution is totally justified. But there are many innocent, well-intentioned and caring men working in centres across the country. They’re playing a vital role in a sector already plagued by well-documented staff shortages . Driving them out of the workforce would be a mistake for the sector, for parents and for children. Read more: Parents of kids in daycare are terrified following Melbourne abuse allegations. What can they do? Hyper-viligant behaviour Men are still a rarity in childcare centres nationally. The latest workforce data show about 8% of early childhood e...

New Zealand’s unaffordable housing market means low-income families face big constraints on their accommodation options. This involves often accepting housing that is insecure, cold, damp or in unsuitable neighbourhoods. But little is known about the impact of housing type early in life on children’s wellbeing over time. Using data from nearly 6,000 children in the Growing Up in New Zealand study, our new research compared outcomes for children provided with public housing support during the crucial earliest years (pregnancy through to nine months) with those in other types of housing. What we found supports ongoing investment in secure, quality housing as a way to reduce inequalities in New Zealand – particularly for those with very young children. Importantly, by the age of 12, children who started life in public housing had higher levels of wellbeing than some of their peers. Tracking wellbeing For our project, we used data on the type of housing at nine mon...