[Gonewiththewind:...]

Does anyone have links to info on this? Does this mean you MUST send your child 15hrs? Is there any subsidy on fees?

[spersephone]

What state are you in?

The government is mandating that four year old children have access to 15 hours of kindergarten a week. They will pay subsidised fees for this, and the end result should be not too much different from whatever you're paying now to your provider. However, in practice, it's hard to say how it will work.

But it's like school if I'm right, if you're sending the child to the kindergarten, yes, you should be sending them for the whole program, whether that be 15 hours, 18 hours etc.

[Gonewiththewind:...]

What state are you in?

The government is mandating that four year old children have access to 15 hours of kindergarten a week. They will pay subsidised fees for this, and the end result should be not too much different from whatever you're paying now to your provider. However, in practice, it's hard to say how it will work.

But it's like school if I'm right, if you're sending the child to the kindergarten, yes, you should be sending them for the whole program, whether that be 15 hours, 18 hours etc.

I'm in NSW. The kindergarten I looked at for my son is $53 a day with no rebates! 15 hrs would mean 3 days shchi is over $150 a week. I think there are likely to be many people out there who cannot afford this. It is a cummunity KU centre of average price in our area. The only alternative is a long day care centre with a preschool program. This works out at about $25 a day.

[tibs]

What state are you in?

The government is mandating that four year old children have access to 15 hours of kindergarten a week. They will pay subsidised fees for this, and the end result should be not too much different from whatever you're paying now to your provider. However, in practice, it's hard to say how it will work.

But it's like school if I'm right, if you're sending the child to the kindergarten, yes, you should be sending them for the whole program, whether that be 15 hours, 18 hours etc.

I just can't see how this is going to work at all. In NSW there is already a massive shortage of preschool places and demand already can't be met. Fees are not subsidised and preschool is $45-$55 per day (over $5000 per year). If the govt wants more children in preschool, where are the places going to come from? And where will the money come from for the subsidy that will be necessary to make preschool affordable for all those that would like to access it?

[spersephone]

In Victoria at least, four year old kindergarten is subsidised, but three year old isn't. So it's a choice as to whether you want to send your child to both or just one year of kindergarten.

My kinder charges around $250 per term, or $1000 per year. That's hard enough, but it's not helping the kinder much, they get very little funding from anyone other than the parents.

It's well known that the idea of 15 hours for four year olds, while admirable, is just not practical for some kinders, without sacrificing their three year old programs. No-one wants to see the three year olds suffer, as that year is so beneficial to them, and obviously helps them to adjust to the four year old program the following year.

http://www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood/Pol...Pages/home.aspx

This is the basic premise of Universal Access and provides links to your state body for more information.

[upstyledown]

This was implemented at our school last year. Our school has 3 Kindy classes. 2 of the classes have the same teacher, and the other class have a different one.

Kindy 1 & 3: Full Days Mon, Wed & Every 2nd Friday (different teacher on Fridays)
Kindy 2: Full Days Tues, Thurs & opposite Friday (different teacher on Friday).

We have a daycare centre attached to our school and they offer care for the Friday that the kids aren't at school so parents only need to pay for the day they use as opposed to every Friday.

It seems to be working well.

[tibs]

This is not the case all over NSW. DS's centre is only at about half capacity (there's 3 other preschools on this street alone, the suburb is inundated with childcare). The 2 days he does there's only 12-13 kids in the groups, it's wonderful. Fees are only $38 a day. You can get a subsidy, but you have to meet the work/study criteria and it's done in a weird way. Ask at your centre about it.

Wow are you in Sydney? Heaps of my friends have kids (mostly 3 year olds or younger 4s) who missed out on spots and are on the waiting lists here and would be prepared to travel for a spot in a preschool rather than use daycare. We are in the Hills District.

I do get the tiny amount of CCB on offer but it is just so little I don't think it does anything to address affordability and I wouldn't call it a subsidy, it is nothing like they have in other states where preschool is so much cheaper - $250 per term as a PP mentioned must be under $10 per day! I don't think the CCB I get (which is the full amount you can get as I work) even reduces fees by $2 a day (from the $46 I pay!).

[tibs]

Yes, sorry should have said. I'm in Sydney, boarding Blacktown and the hills district.

eta: I didn't know how much this alleged subsidy was, only that it existed. Hadn't got around to claiming it.

Oh I think I might know which ones you mean, I heard you couldn't go there unless you lived in the council area as they are run by the council? I didn't look into it myself though as my DS luckily did get a spot, phew

Yeah don't bother rushing on claiming the money, I couldn't believe how little I got back after the sheer volume of paperwork they made me fill in for it

[#tootired]

Very interesting thread. Our kindergarten will be offering this next year and I have no idea how it will work.

There is no possible way, I could juggle 4 half days....that is a worry.

I hope someone has suggested the 5 day fortnight at our kinder, that at least seems manageable.
For those that do the 5 day fortnight, what hours do they go?

[**Xena**]

Hi, Just wondering how your kindergarten is going to implement the 15hours min that comes in next year?
Our kinder currently runs 2 4yr old groups only with one teacher and one assistant…
They only have one room so it is going to be a bit of a juggle on how they are going to do it?
Is your kinder in a similar situation and how will they deal with it??
thanks

Our school bought it in this year. With the money the schools got given they built a couple of extra rooms so now they have 2 rooms for Kinder If they hadn't been able to do that I don't know what would have happened!

ETA: We don't have 3yo Kinder in Tas

This post has been edited by **Xena**: 02/04/2012, 06:51 PM