My DS goes to a Long Daycare Centre 2 days a week (southside). They have just sent out a letter saying that there will be an increase in fees per day of over 16% to cover Childcare workers pay increase.
I looked into how much the increase is an it is not 16%!

I am trying to find out how much childcare costs at other centres in the ACT per day and also if other centres have increased their fees and by how much. (This is before any rebates).

Can you help?



Jo
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My two daughters go to a Long Day care centre on the Northside.

The centre they go to pays their workers above award wages before the price increase. At the moment we are paying $57 a day, but this will be revised with the iminent pay rise for Childcare workers.

The centre we go to provides everything for the children, including nappies for the littlies and pull-ups for the toddlers.

From talking to numerous people I think our centre is a little bit pricey but hope this helps with the comparisons.

Nes

My girl goes to Campbell Cottage, run by YWCA. Haven't had a letter yet about increase in fees, but I guess if there's a wage increase then the centre will need to increase fees to cover it. We currently pay $56 per day. This includes food (they employ their own cook who does yummy healthy food) and nappies (they have a cloth nappy service), plus music class one day a week (if your child is in care on Wednesdays/Fridays). The staff there are great, I would be happy to pay a bit extra if it was going into their pockets as wages.

My DS's daycare is $60/day and includes everthing, even hats! I am on the committee and we have just approved a $5/day increase (effective as of July) to cover the costs involved in the wage rise for staff.

As Sarah said, this doesn't just cover wage increases it also includes things like superanuation, leave entitlements, long service leave etc.

Also the wage increase has been back dated, so your centre's fee increase will cover this too.

We looked at a number of centres in the inner north and most charged daily fees of around $55-$65/day. The services provided varied. I was surpised that some of the more expensive ones did not include meals and/or nappies.

My DD goes to an inner south centre. We have just received a letter regarding fee increases. We now pay $58.00 per day, up $3.00 a day. There will however be another fee increase on Jan 1 2006 of the same amount.
My centre provides all food/drink (besides formula) but not nappies.
In our newsletter it was explained that staff will receive two wage rises-
1. National wage rise (child care workers) of $17.00/week
2. Living wage case rise- $65-$85/week increase- paid in four installments between 1/7/05- 1/1/07.

Makes me wish I was a childcare worker now, not two year ago when we got paid nothing!!

CCB will increase from $2.81 to $2.88 per hour from 4/7/05.



Tamara
DD Georgia 5/7/04- nearly ONE!!

Thanks to all that responded - I have come to the conclusion that the Daycare Centre that my DS goes to is the most expensive in Canberra.

They already charge $60 per day for over 2 years olds and under two's are $70 per day - but from the 4 July they will be charging $70 per day for the over two's and $80 per day for under two's! I think that these prices are not in the same league as other centres and after a little research I have found out that other centers have only put up their fees by a maximum of $5 per day (which I can execpt - but $10 per day is a bit excessive especially as their fees are quite high as it is).

You have to provide your own nappies, sunhats, and the food is not very good - as they are supposed to provide a balanced diet (today they had sandwiches for lunch - which is ok, and yesterday they had hot dogs and chips - not very happy about that).

Don't get me wrong - when DS started there I was very happy and so was DS, but this year there have been a few issues that I have not been happy with and that is why when they announced the price incease I thought this cannot be right. Especially as they have only just this year started to take babies - and they seem more focused on the babies then the preschoolies now and I think that as the littlies cost more to look after I am going to pay for it!

So I think that I shall be taking DS out of there and putting his name down somewhere else.

Thanks again to all that responded.

Jo
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Hi

If you are lokking for a new childcare centre I fully reccomend Woden Early Childhood Centre. It is community based, so all the fees go back into the centre as opposed to private centres. They supply everything (including hats), have a great program (including BeeBop, and the preschoolers were learning French last year) , and send home a portfolio every month with photo's and developmental observations, and the Director Reesha is lovely and has been there for 10 years. I moved my kids from another one where I had some niggly issues, and have only been happy. The fees are $56 a day (I think), and that is with a recent increase.

If you want any more info PM.

Margot
Logan Robert 15/4/2000
Angelina Pearl 24/7/2002
Jasper Patrick 16/3/2005

Not so much to do with long day care, but there was a sign at Aidan's playschool yesterday that fees are going up from $14 a session, to $16.50 a session. Has anyone else found that their playschools are donig the same? I also use in-home care and I have received a letter from them that their fees are also increasing and I will be charged extra because there are 3 kids. Before it was just a flat family rate. With the childcare benefit it is too hard to figure out what the cost will actually be, so I guess I'll just have to wait until my next bill to see if I can afford it or not. So much for tax cuts and a pay rise after July 1 (for DH) - I think we will be seeing very little of it in our pockets.
Leanne

My son attends Possum Magic at Red Hill 2 days/week @ $63/day. We had a price increase a couple of months ago. We have been very happy with the carers and the facilities (we had also heard good things about the centre from friends prior to starting there). There is a music programme once a week too. The price includes all food but not nappies or sunhats. The food seems pretty decent (eg. lunches of pasta or roast & veges).

Cheers
Christine (33)
DH Duncan (37)
DS Felix 30/05/2003

Hi,

My DS is about to start at the University Preschool and Childcare centre. If you're PT (as we are) it's $53 a day ($225 per week FT). That includes nappies, bibs, drinks and fruit for snacks (if they're on solids), but not meals. I haven't figured out if they'll launder the bedding and clothes we supply.
They have a good staff:children ratio and seem to have a good attitude.

Hi all,

Thanks for letting me know where your little darlings go and where is good. I called the Director of where my DS goes and said to her that I was not really happy with the price increase and she basically told me that I would have to take it up with the owners (as it is a private centre), so I said can you give me a breakdown of the $10 increase per day and she said that she couldn't and that I would have to speak to the owners - so she said that she will get one of the owners to call me (they were supposed to call last night) and I have not heard anything at all. So I guess on Monday they will be getting my 2 weeks notice!

The good news is that I have found a new centre that is government owned and looks fantastic and my DS has a couple of friends that go there and they have places for DS to start in July - which works out great, and it is cheaper than $60 per day I will be saving about $20 per month! (That includes the resent increase! Just goes to show that the current centre is only after my money). Yipee!

Jo
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