The Corkboard
Our hub for all child care news, tips and support
Should my child repeat kindergarten? An honest take before you decide
Holding a child back for another year of kindergarten before they start school is a decision more Australian families are weighing up, and the conversation usually has very little to do with academic ability. Kylie from Edge Early Learning, a Queensland early childhood provider, says the most common reason families consider an extra year is emotional readiness, not learning gaps. Signs that often prompt the conversation include challenges with confidence, independence, or coping with change. Kylie has worked through this decision herself as a parent. The right answer, she says, is rarely obvious, and it changes from child to child. School readiness is about more than turning the eligible age. Here is what to look for, what to ask your child's educators, and how to think through the conversation without getting tangled in stigma or other people's expectations.
What's a kindymoon, and do I need one?
The kindymoon is a growing trend among Australian parents who take leave or scale back their hours during the first weeks of their child's school year. Coined by writer Amy Molloy in 2025, the term names a quiet rebellion against the assumption that parents will bounce straight back to full-time work the moment school starts. The 2026 cohort carries extra weight, since these are the COVID babies, born in lockdown, now stepping into formal education. Clinical psychologist Frances Bilbao calls the kindymoon a cultural correction after years of burnout. Research published in the Early Child Education Journal in 2024 found that parents experience a wide spectrum of emotions during the transition to school, from pride to grief, that are often overlooked. A kindymoon makes space for those feelings, and for the child's adjustment, rather than racing past one of the biggest transitions of early childhood.
Maternity leave around the world: how does Australia compare?
Maternity leave policies vary enormously from one country to the next, and the gap between the best and worst is striking. Australia currently provides 24 weeks of government-funded Paid Parental Leave at the national minimum wage, rising to 26 weeks by July 2026 — a significant improvement on where the country sat a decade ago, but still well behind the leaders. Estonia tops the global charts with up to 86 weeks of combined leave, while Bulgaria offers 58.6 weeks at 90% pay. At the other end of the scale, the United States remains the only wealthy nation in the world with no federally mandated paid maternity leave at all. Italy, Greece, Japan, China, the UK, and Canada all sit somewhere in between, each with their own structure, pay rates, and cultural context. This is what the picture looks like globally, and where Australia fits in it.
26 weeks of paid parental leave: the no-jargon guide
From 1 July 2026, eligible Australian families will receive 130 days (26 weeks) of government-funded Paid Parental Leave, the final step in a phased rollout. Four weeks are reserved for the partner or non-birth parent on a use-it-or-lose-it basis, and single parents get the full 26 weeks. Payments are made at the national minimum wage, currently $948.10 per week before tax, and the government pays 12% superannuation on top. Parents can take the leave flexibly as a single block, in shorter chunks, or single days, as long as it’s used before the child’s second birthday. The change gives families more breathing room in the first year, but it also raises practical questions about when to start childcare, how to share leave between parents, and how to bridge the gap between leave ending and care beginning.
Thriving Kids: Will My Child Lose NDIS Support?
The federal Thriving Kids program begins rolling out from 1 October 2026 and will be at full scale by 1 January 2028. It shifts children aged eight and under with autism or developmental delay and low to moderate support needs out of the NDIS and into a new system of state-delivered supports. Children with high support needs will remain on the NDIS. The fine print is still being designed, which is why so many families are anxious. While that picture is unsettled, the National Quality Framework reforms landing across 2026 give parents real ground to stand on. The National Early Childhood Worker Register commences 27 February 2026, mandatory national child safety training is rolling out, and incident notification timeframes have dropped to 24 hours. Parents can also compare quality ratings on StartingBlocks before they enrol.
How much does childcare cost around the world?
Childcare costs vary enormously around the world, and Australia sits at the more expensive end of the spectrum. After the Child Care Subsidy is applied, Australian families spend approximately 20% of net household income on childcare — still roughly double the OECD average of 10%. In Germany, childcare costs families around 1% of household income. In Estonia, it is effectively zero. At the other end, the United States has the highest net childcare costs of any OECD country, at around 32% of a couple's wages. The Child Care Subsidy has reduced the burden for many Australian families significantly, and ongoing government reform is expanding access, but the cost of care remains one of the biggest financial pressures for families returning to work.
2 years of kinder: the evidence parents need to see
Two years of kindergarten before school is becoming the standard across most of Australia, and the evidence behind the shift is strong. By age five, around 90 percent of a child's brain development is complete, and children who attend two years of quality kinder show measurable gains in language, pre-reading, early number concepts, independence, concentration, and social skills. The Australian Early Development Census shows that 12.5 percent of children are now developmentally vulnerable on two or more domains, with the gap widest in the most disadvantaged communities. International research from Estonia, Finland, and Ontario points to similar long-term benefits, including better literacy, numeracy, and self-regulation. With Free Kinder, Free Kindy, Start Strong, Flying Start, and ACT three-year-old preschool funding now covering most of the cost in 2026, the financial barrier to the second year is lower than it has been in a generation.
Free kinder in 2026: What stacks with the Child Care Subsidy?
Free kinder and preschool look different in every state in 2026, and the rules around stacking them with the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) trip up a lot of families. Victoria offers Free Kinder for three-year-olds and Pre-Prep for four-year-olds, with savings up to $4,202 a year in long day care. Queensland gives 15 hours a week of Free Kindy for the year before Prep, available to all eligible four-year-olds. NSW Start Strong covers three and four-year-olds, with rates up to $4,456 in community preschools. South Australia begins rolling out three-year-old preschool in 2026, starting in regional and remote areas. The ACT funds 300 hours of three-year-old preschool a year. In long day care, CCS is applied first and the state subsidy comes off the remainder, so families still pay a gap fee for any wrap-around hours their child attends.
What should I do if I’m worried about my child’s development?
If you’re worried about your child’s development, the first step is to notice what you’re seeing, then talk it through with someone who knows your child well, such as their educators, GP or child and family health nurse. Children develop at different rates, and not every concern means something is wrong. But if a concern is ongoing, getting advice early can help you understand what’s happening and access support if needed. You don’t need to diagnose anything yourself. Start with one calm conversation and take the next sensible step from there.