28 May 2012, 280512, child deaths, children, hygeine, Norman Gillespie, UNICEF
In developing countries each year, 4 million babies die within their first 28 days of life. The first few days of life are crucial to survival with babies 500 times more likely to die in their first day of life than once they reach one month old. During this time, simple measures like hygiene, supervision and care can mean the difference between life and death.
Read more about this at the WHO media centre.
UNICEF Australia’s CEO Norman Gillespie tells 3Q that a new campaign which focuses on these first days aims to combat the problem by expanding the implementation of simple at-home interventions proven to be instrumental in preventing neonatal deaths.
In cases where babies are premature, UNICEF has instituted the Kangaroo Mother Care program, teaching mothers how to stabilise their baby’s breathing, heartbeat and temperature by wrapping them in a cloth ‘pouch’ close to the mother’s chest.
In a landmark study undertaken in India, community health workers were trained to recognise and treat serious neonatal illnesses with the result being drastically reduced child mortality rates.
10 April 2012, 100412, Childcare, Childcare Rebate, children, families, Nannies, Polling, polls, Productivity Commission
Q. Tony Abbott has said that if he became Prime Minister he would ask the Productivity Commission to look into extending the childcare rebate to childcare provided by nannies. Would you support or oppose the Government paying a childcare rebate for nannies?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total support |
44% |
33% |
57% |
33% |
| Total oppose |
33% |
49% |
24% |
44% |
| Strongly support |
12% |
9% |
17% |
10% |
| Support |
32% |
24% |
40% |
23% |
| Oppose |
20% |
27% |
18% |
20% |
| Strongly oppose |
13% |
22% |
6% |
24% |
| No opinion |
22% |
18% |
19% |
23% |
44% support the Government paying a childcare rebate for nannies and 33% oppose. 49% of Labor voters and 44% of Greens voters are opposed but 57% of Liberal/National voters support the measure.
Support is higher among younger respondents – those aged under 45 split 53% support/24% oppose and those aged 45+ split 36% support/44% oppose.
48% of those on income under $600pw oppose and 32% support, but all higher income groups are more likely to support.
child care, child care providers, Childcare, Childcare Rebate, children, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, families, Network 10, Network Ten, Polling, polls
Q. The Federal Government currently pays parents 50 per cent of money they spend on childcare via its childcare rebate. Which of the following policies would you support most?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Maintaining the child care rebate at current levels | 22% | 23% | 23% | 25% | 21% | 22% | 33% | 18% | 14% |
| Limiting the rebate to families earning less than $150,000 per annum | 42% | 46% | 41% | 44% | 42% | 42% | 38% | 42% | 47% |
| Scrapping the rebate and paying the money directly to child care providers to contain costs and improve services | 21% | 25% | 18% | 18% | 25% | 18% | 12% | 24% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 15% | 13% | 11% | 14% | 12% | 18% | 17% | 16% | 12% |
Only 22% favour maintaining the child care rebate at current levels – 42% think it should be means tested and 21% think it should be scrapped and the money paid directly to child care providers. There were no significant differences by voting intention.
Those aged 18-34 were more likely to support maintaining the rebate at current levels (33%) as were people earning over $1,600 pw (31%). Limiting the rebate to families earning less than $150,000 was supported by 55% of people earning $1,000-$1,600 pw.