60 Minutes returns this Sunday with an in-depth look at Australia’s childcare system, exploring how the drive for profit may be compromising care for the nation’s youngest children.

Reporter Dimity Clancey investigates claims of understaffing, neglect, and mistreatment across centres, highlighting the challenges faced by the one and a half million children currently in care.

The program also takes viewers off the coast for a lighter story, following the awe-inspiring migration of around 100,000 humpback whales, a reminder of both nature’s resilience and what was once almost lost.

– Advertisement –

Reporter Dimity Clancey speaks with childcare operator John Tanios, facing scrutiny after his centre was shut down (image – Nine)

CARE AT ALL COSTS

The fact there’s big money to be made looking after little kids has broken the childcare industry. Its ethos should be to provide care at all costs, but instead, the cost of care seems to now dominate the thinking at many of the businesses that operate childcare facilities.

In this 60 MINUTES investigation, Dimity Clancey reveals how the desire for profits means centres are often understaffed, which in turn is leading to the mistreatment of innocent children. In some cases, the allegations of abuse and neglect simply beggar belief. 

Currently there are one and a half million little Australians in the childcare system and it’s clear an enormous number deserve much better care than they’re receiving.

Reported by Dimity Clancey and produced by Anne Worthington and Toni Ambrogetti.

A WHALE OF A TIME

– Advertisement –

Ordinarily, traffic jams cause headaches. But the ones happening off Australia’s east and west coasts bring only awe. Right now, about a hundred thousand humpback whales are out there having a whale of a time.

Their great migration, which seems to get bigger every year, is also an important reminder of what the world almost lost. Up until the 1960s humpbacks were hunted to the point of extinction. As few as 300 were left in our waters.

How things have changed though, and as Adam Hegarty finds out, watching these magnificent creatures is guaranteed to make anyone smile.

Reported by Adam Hegarty and produced by Serge Negus.

This episode of 60 Minutes Australia airs tonight Sunday, August 24, at 8:35pm on Channel 9 and 9Now

– Advertisement –