Two bodies of research are beginning to intersect. One highlights the benefit of childcare on the emotional, social and cognitive development of children. The other on the synergistic benefit of interactions between the very young and the older members of society.

Children communicate with us from the moment they are born. They cry to tell us that they are hungry, need comfort or need rest. They are responsive to sound from an early age and will turn their head in the direction of the noise, imitate and produce utterances.

As more information about the new Child Care Subsidy (CCS) package rolls out, we are getting a clearer picture of how the system will work and affect you. Let's start with a question that we are asked a lot: what will my fees be under the new system?

The past decades have seen a substantial increase of mothers with young children entering the workforce and subsequent increased use of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) facilities. So, as more and more childcare facilities pop up, I am sure many parents are asking: is putting my child into care benefitting or hindering their development?

 It takes a village to raise a child.

The community is a quintessential part of early development. Not only for the development of a child's social and emotional skills but think about the parents - many who are raising a young child for the first time.

Deciding to send your child to care is hard, especially in the early years (0-6 years old). When you first sit down to do research it can feel as though the options are endless. Child care, long day care, kindergarten, preschool, Montessori, family day care, nannies and the list goes on.

From 2 July 2018, there will be a New Child Care Package, providing more support for more families.