Children

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) yesterday released the second interim report for their 2022-23 inquiry into childcare. Included in the report are draft findings and recommendations on the costs, profitability and viability, policy, and effectiveness of market regulations specific to the Australian childcare sector – with reference to other OECD countries which largely…

Read More Market Forces Fail to Deliver Accessible and Affordable Childcare

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Original media release from CHOICE (30/08/2023). “We gave several playpens a score of zero for performance simply because they had so many failures,” says Kim Gilmour, CHOICE’s team leader for household products.  In fact, eight of the 25 models in our current review failed to pass CHOICE’s key safety requirements – that’s almost a third, a…

Read More Almost a Third of Playpens Fail CHOICE Safety Test

ACCC product safety: sleep your baby safe. Putting your baby to sleep flat on their back is the safest way for them to sleep

Infant incline products may be marketed for sleep, however they are unsafe for babies to sleep in. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) advises reports indicate 151 babies in Australia have died in inclined products such as rockers, bouncers, and on propped items.

Read More Infant Inclined Product and Sudden Death

International Button Battery Awareness Day

Australia’s first International Button Battery Awareness Day  aims to spread further awareness about the dangers of button batteries among schools, parents, caregivers and childhood educators through the delivery of an educational program designed for early childhood and primary school aged children.  In Australia, around 20 children a week present to an emergency department with a button…

Read More Button Battery Awareness Day 12th June 2023

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Media release first posted 18/04/2023. The ACCC is asking parents and guardians for their views on childcare services in Australia, as part of its year-long inquiry into the sector. Parents and guardians are invited to complete a short online survey to share their experiences when looking for and using childcare services in Australia. The ACCC is seeking…

Read More Parents and Guardians Asked for Their Experience with Childcare

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Button batteries, also known as coin batteries, are used to charge devices that have a longer shelf-life, like a watch or the key to your car. They’re small, flat, and round. Button batteries can lead to serious internal burns in as little as two hours. If you have young kids and you haven’t heard of button batteries, they need…

Read More Button batteries – draft standard open for public comment

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The ACCC is seeking feedback on ways to reduce significant safety risks associated with products commonly used to place babies to sleep. A consultation paper published today, outlines a range of proposed regulatory options which aim to prevent infant injuries and deaths caused by inclined and other products when used for sleep. This is a media release from the Australian…

Read More ACCC seeks to reduce infant sleep product risks to help keep babies safe

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The recommended pram and stroller safety essentials are the AS/NZS 2088 label on the item, a sturdy frame, a five-point harness and a tether strap, according to the Australian Parenting website. Standards Australia recently published the revised AS 2088:2022 Prams and strollers – Safety requirements which provides manufacturers, authorities, and others with minimum safety requirements for prams and…

Read More Pram and stroller safety essentials