20hrs free child care
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24507
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Topic: 20hrs free child care
Posted By: TysMummy
Subject: 20hrs free child care
Date Posted: 12 February 2009 at 5:00pm
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who is in the know about this?
first question can you ge t it if only one parent working? does it have to be 3-4yr olds? ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Replies:
Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 12 February 2009 at 5:04pm
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I'm pretty sure you can get it even if neither parents are working. Your child does need to be 3 & 4 to qualify but some kindy's will take them earlier (from about 30 months) and not charge you for the time spent at kindy prior to 3. From what I understand daycares will charge you right up to the minute they turn 3. -------------  
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Posted By: LJsmum
Date Posted: 12 February 2009 at 6:15pm
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When the child turns 3 years old they are entitled to 20 hours free child care in a centre or home based care or kindergarten.
You can only use 20 hours per week maximum 6 hours a day. Our service provides the 20 hours completely freeof course if you do more than 20 hours i.e 30 hours you have to pay cause it's only 20 hours free! some people just don't get that! I'm not sure how kindy get way with offer it when the child is 30 months. As it's a legal document that is signed by the provider and the parent. By law the child must be 3. -------------  
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Posted By: LJsmum
Date Posted: 12 February 2009 at 6:16pm
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Also every child can get it regardless of who is working or not. You may also be entitled to a subsidy. You can get both at once. -------------
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Posted By: AuntieSarah
Date Posted: 12 February 2009 at 6:40pm
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You can't get a subsidy and free hours for the same hours though iykwim. ie - if you're booked in for 40 hours a week you can use 20 free hours and get your subsidy for the other 20 hours.
And yeah it is available for everyone, has nothing to do with whether you're working or how much you earn. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 12 February 2009 at 10:03pm
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be careful though.
my daycare introduced 20 free hours - great i thought. but also said that kids could no longer do half-days - 9 hours only (8-5). Now the free 20 hours is limited to 6 a day. So to get all free 20 hours, I end up having to enrol the boys for 4 full days (36 hours). And rather than the $4 an hour it was before - now is $8 an hour. We get a minimal subsidy so now pay more for those 20 "free" hours. So ask before you enrol!!!!! BTW - boys would have to go for four full time - ish days anyway, so that wasn't such a hardship |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 12 February 2009 at 10:19pm
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Also watch out for having to pay the difference, ie if the childcare charges $5.50 you might have to pay $1.50 an hour for those 20 supposed free hours. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: jjands
Date Posted: 13 February 2009 at 12:28pm
| our kindy only does mornings or full days for DD age and because we can't afford full days and dont need it we can only use up 15 hours a week and at the moment I'd love to be using that extra 5 hours do all kindies do this? |