Ok just a general chat about Child Care Fees.

But is it just me or are child care fees getting outragous?

I've even looked at bringing in a live-in nanny because it seems like a cheaper option, more so now that I'm going to work and will lose the tiny CCB that I currently have.

What are your veiws?

Any Ideas?

Hi Natalie

I agree with you! I had my twins in Family day care for 2 weeks and it was ridiculous - $1000 a fortnight.

So i found a nanny and she costs less than day care and i have her in my house, which is so much easier.
We get up and get ready for work and if our boys are still in bed (a rarity), then they stay there. There is no getting them up and changed and to daycare, which was annoying. Also my boys haven't been sick yet, and a few of my friends have their kids in day care and they have picked up quite a few bugs.

So it is quite good. It is all up to finding the right person though. I was very lucky.

Rachel.

Rach(26),BJ(35), Aidan & Keenan

My general feeling on the subject are (apologies for my babble):

Yes, the cost of childcare is more than I would like to pay but it is something that I am living with knowing that my DD is in good care. I am also living with the fact that if my son also eventually goes into daycare my fees will double without much additional relief (not that I expect any). Just for my clarification, I didn't think you would lose your CCB if you were working, isn't everyone entitled to the minimum amount?
The article in one of the weekend papers reinforced my understanding of how poorly paid childcare workers are. They are paid lower than trolley collecters, not that I have anything against that job choice either, it just puts it all into perspective for me.
It really is up to the govt to provide some sort of subsidy structure in order to ensure that childcare workers receive the pay they deserve - I believe that thost who have completed a degree/diploma and those who have undertaken any form of study deserve to be remunerated at an appropriate level.
I will now get off my soapbox.
Yes, the idea of a nanny live-in or otherwise sounds great if it is economical etc. I also like the idea of the children remaining in their home environment etc. I thought about getting a nanny for a while (poaching one of the childcare staff)to at least pay her more of what I think she deseves, but then, it isn't worth me working after all...
There, I think I have finished for now. Good luck with the decision you make and hopefully you will find a great nanny if that is what you are after.

Kath

How do you go about finding a nanny?

We looked at an agency and it was worse then having the kiddies in care.

How do you go about interveiwing them? and whats a fair price?

Once I go back to work I'll be paying $520 per week for child care. and this is before there fee increase in July. A level 3 child care worker doesn't even make this much a week.

We had Alex in a center before this one where we had to pay a fee for materials for Alexanders little art works.

What I want to know is what is going on with this system, why does it cost so much?

What about the governments new budget and having parents go back to work or study? How does the government expect parents to afford to pay for all of this and our other bills?

To top this off My partner and I (last year) have put Alex on the Canberra Grammar School Waiting list, not because we are wealthy or rolling in money, simply because it is cheaper to have your son or daughter go to one of the most $$$ schools in Australia then it is to have them go to some old LDC or EDC.

What the hell is going on? Now you know something is wrong when you can send your kids to Grammar cheaper then early childhood centers.

I just don't see how it costs so much. The only hope I rely on is that once their out of EDC or LDC they start school and thats not at $54 dollars a day.

I also agree with Charling, I understand that everyone is
entitled to the minimum rate of CCB.

My DS # currently goes 1 day p/w & when I return to work
later this year both my boys will be going f/t as I have no
other options. I agree it is getting expensive but I have no
other alternatives, I look forward to the tax rebate in next
years return $4,000 p/child which will be a great help.

I have considered Family Day Care but have doubts about
what they do during the day e.g activities or sit in front of TV &
what happens if the carer is sick or on holidays. I am lucky
that I have been able to get into a good centre with excellent
staff, they supply all food/nappies & my child is well cared for.

I would love to stay at home but I know I cannot as my DH
cannot manage money, if he has it he spends it & we would
be worse off if I did not return to work.

you only get CCB up to about $103K per year income (i think, i know it's more than the cut off for FTB)

our 2 are in FDC and we don't pay anywhere near $500 a week for both of them o: that is scary.

Yep, I concur, in another life when we were both working, we still got CCB, there is no cutoff to receive the minimum and mine worked out at $23 a week.

Kath

ahh i see. in my usual befuddled state i'd misunderstood it.

Hey

When our boys were in FDC it was $55 each per day, and we received the minimum rebate - which really is not a lot. Whereas now we pay a little less to our nanny (a fair bit more than what she was getting - and less than what we were paying!..). We are looking at sharing our nanny with one of my friends who has a little girl, so then she will be getting more money, and therefore be more encouraged to stay working for us.

I advertised for a nanny and she was the best applicant by far. My DP and I wrote a list of questions, we checked her qualifications, education, did a police check and her references. SHe absolutely adores my boys. She worked at a childcare centre here in Canberra and was thrilled at the prospect of being a nanny. We are pretty relaxed and since my boys are still quite young she plays with them all day, but as they get older she will be doing more things with them like she did at the childcare centre. She pretty much has full reign of my house and can do as she pleases.

Also about the point of the salarys of childcare workers - i don't think they get paid enough for what they do and think that the govt does need to do more to supplement their salaries. I really don't know how single parents and lower income families afford to pay childcare. It really makes it difficult to contemplate going back to work when you are going to be paying over half of your salary (sometimes 3/4's of it) on childcare.. I have to work (and i had to change careers as my old job did not pay enough) as we have bills to pay etc and my DP's salary, whilst is very good is not enough to support me, my two boys and our bills. Our boys were a big surprise so we did not have time to get financially prepared. I wish we did because then i could stay at home!!

If you want to have details of what i put in my advertisement and the questions i asked when i interviewed my nanny please PM me and i will be happy to help!

Rachel.

Rach(26),BJ(35), Aidan & Keenan


This message was edited by RachieD on Thursday, 23 June 2005 @ 10:27 AM

Hey Rach Shouldnt you be working!!! - LOL (its my first day back today - YUK!)

I am really happy with the care at Maddisons daycare centre. I really like the girls and wish they got paid more as they do a fantastic job (I read the Daily telegraph article also). In saying that if fees were to go to something like $70/$80 a day (they have just gone from $59 to $64 to compensate for the workers payrise which I still feel is resonable since it is a good centre) It would really hurt.
We have already put off having another child until my parents move here in 2/3 years as we just couldnt afford 2 lots of daycare and they are willing to help us.
I am very glad though for the CC rebate which will come into effect next tax time as it will be nice to receive something back.

I have used FDC here in Melbourne with mixed results.
DS loved it - he started at 8mths and was going 1 day/week (cost of $24/day compared to $55 for a centre). The FDC worker had 4 children in her care and they all got along well, I never had any concerns bc he was always very happy to be left and was always smiling and playing nicely when I arrived to pick him up. When he was a little older DS also spent one day/week at a centre ($58/day) but he was never as happy there as he was in FDC.

I sent DD to the same FDC worker when she was 12mths old. Completely different story. She screamed the whole way to FDC worker's house, clutched my ankles and threw immense tantrums when I left, and invariably the FDC worker would ring me to pick her up early due to her distress. In the end DD was refusing to go into the house and would only play (or sit and cry) in the FDC's small backyard. Same environment, same worker...it was so distressing for us all that I pulled her out and changed my work arrangements. I started taking DD to occasional care and she loved it and was very happy so it was not a seperation-from-mummy issue. I still have no idea what it was about FDC that did not suit DD.

In Melb FDC workers get regular (unannounced) visits from the local council who administer the service. The FDC I used is in my own street and I do see the council worker visiting at least fortnightly. They attend regular training on health etc issues and undergo police and house safety checks annually.

I think it is a great service, but the type of care you chose must suit the individual child.

emma

Hi Emma
A teacher friend of mine who was doing some extra early childhood studies mentioned to me that boys do well in family daycare while girls are more suited to a centre. It was based on a study that was carried out. I will contact her and see if it is available online. I know that this wont be the case with all children but I did find it very interesting.

Hi All

Just thought I would add my piece in here.

I have almost given up on the prospect of going back to work once my triplets arrive.

As much as I cant wait to meet my babies, I wouldnt mind the idea of going back to work once they are 12 or so mths old, but for me that seems impossible as the govt provides next to NO support........

I have been made aware that I will be entititled to IN HOME CARE, which costs $14.15 per hour (for up to 30 hrs per wk) less CCB & is basically a nanny provided to us for up to a max of 30 hrs per wk. However, even with this available to us, it will still cost us $425 per 3 days of childcare less our CCB for 3(which will be the minimum)......ITS JUST NOT WORTH GOING BACK TO WORK

Also, I have looked into Nanny agencies here in ACT & it is also v costly.

For those of you who privately hire nannys - How much approx to you offer them???? & how do you go about payment etc...ie: do you pay cash in hand or do the Nannys invoice you??

Cheers, Lilymurray

ME 28
DH 28
TTC #1 12/03
Gonal F -BFN 2/12/04
Gonal F -BFP Triplets due 11/10/05
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I too would be interested in knowing how much would be reasonable to pay a nanny. But still be a cheaper alternative for us. and what are reasonable hours as i work 8.30 till 5.15 mon - fri and was thinking that was a very long week to expect someone to be in my home. do you pay more or less for a live in nanny because you are providing accomodation and meals ect... and do you need to provide a seperate bathroom for the nanny or would it be reasonable for her to share the childrens bathroom ( we have ensuite). it is something we have thought about when this next one comes along rather than having to two younger ones in long day care....

would appreciate any experiences shared.



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ME Kim 26
DF Scott 23(24 in July)
DS Dylan 10/99
SD Willow 08/01
DS Logan 04/02
Dog ScoobyDoo English Mastiff

Another option could be both parents working part time. If dad is willing to work part time and has a family-friendly employer, it can be financially better than one full time income as you'll each be in a lower tax bracket. Plus dad gets the benefit of fully participating in their early childhood. Of course, it only works if both partners are interested, both employers allow part time work, and both salaries are high enough to justify it.

Hi - what we did was advertise for our nanny on an online job network here in the ACT. when we interviewed our nanny she told us how much she was making as a full time child care worker ($340 per week). So we pay her $350 per week cash in hand. This goes into her bank account straight from our accuont on fridays when i get paid (as i get paid weekly). I have told her that she can eat, drink whatever she wants from our cupboards and she has free rein. We had to discuss holidays, and we all agreed that she would get 4 weeks annual leave (paid), and 5 days sick leave... but it is flexible. We generally take 2 or 3 weeks at christmas and then a day here and there and she is happy with that. Also she has to go to Syd next month for 3 days so DP and i worked it out so we have the 3 days off so we can have some family time together. It is a great situation and if she is ever sick we are lucky that my DP has carers leave that he can take to stay home with the boys, or if worst comes to worst i can always stay at home. For us, it is the best situation, btu you really have to be able to trust the person, and we are lucky that we trust our nanny and the boys adore her.

Rachel.

Rach(26),BJ(35), Aidan & Keenan

Cherrybomb - forgot to add - we have our nanny in our home from about 7.30 in the morning til 4.30, as i work 8am-4pm.

Rach(26),BJ(35), Aidan & Keenan

Hi therem,

just thought I would add something. Some employers offer salary sacrificed childcare arrangements. The law is something like the childcare centre has to be on the propertly owned by the employer. So, I work at the ATO (in civic) and there is a childcare centre on ATO land in belconnen which I am able to salary sacrifice though. not sure how much it will work out to be as I am still on mat leave but I think it may be around a third of the original price.

Its worth investigating if you are thinking of changing jobs...

IMO the govt should make all child care tax deductable. That would be fair and easy to administer.

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Hi,

We looked at the salary sacrifice option to get our boys into Russell Hill Childcare as my DP works at Russell Offices, and we worked out that it would be roughly the same as getting the rebate - just a lot more convenient because you pay less per fortnight, so more money in the hand. We were told that instead of it costing roughly $1100 per fortnight (before the rebate), that salary sacrificed would be $750 per fortnight (for our two boys). So it is a really good deal.

MELBOCCI - I agree that all child care would be tax deductible, it would make it a bit more realistic for us Mums to get back into work.

Rachel.


Rach(26),BJ(35), Aidan & Keenan