FREE??!! ECE Hours?
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Topic: FREE??!! ECE Hours?
Posted By: babyg
Subject: FREE??!! ECE Hours?
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 6:47pm
I asked about the (free) ECE hrs at my 2 and a bit yr old daughter's daycare today (I like to be organised in advance )
Was told that over and above what the organisation received from the govt, we will have to pay an excess of $1.75 per hour. Now this may not sound like a lot, but it is very close to what we pay for her care as it is now (after our WINZ subsidy is taken into account) and is 100% more than I thought we'd be paying for her free! ECE hours when she turned 3. Don't get me wrong - I totally understand that the govt shortchange care facilities and I wouldn't want them to go under because they weren't charging what they needed to but with a second baby due just before DD turns 3, I now don't think we could afford for me to work part time and pay childcare for 2 children  Even tho I really want to continue working
Just wondering if this is pretty standard as far as free ECE hr excesses go. Please let me know what you pay (if any) in excess for your child's free ECE hrs. Thank you 
*edited because it sounded like would only paying $1.75 for DDs childcare in total rather than per hour, sorry babybrain * ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
Replies:
Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 6:57pm
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You will still get a subsidy from Winz though wont you? .. so that amount will go down?
You will actually be entitled to more as you will have two kiddies (even if both kiddies arent in care you the calculation is done on two children). For us we will have to pay $146.00 per week for fulltime care after the 20 hours "free" (thats not taking into account any winz subsidy we will be entitled to at that stage) ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 7:23pm
No, if you get the 'free' ECE hrs then you no longer qualify for a WINZ subsidy I only work 20hrs per week so I have to either take the 'free' ECE hrs or continue as is with our WINZ subsidy. It is neither here nor there as it roughly works out the same for us So much for govt help to keep parents working! Its just the govt moving funds around and acting like they are doing good
In regard to the calculation - we still fall into the same subsidy category with 2 children as we do for one (we are in the highest/largest paying category available - we must be poor, I sure feel it!) so that doesn't help us either. And my income doesn't go up just cos I have another child - just the expenses
What you're paying sounds really reasonable. ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 7:23pm
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we pay extra for the free 20 hours.
kinda. before our centre brought them in - we paid $60 a week for jake and about the same for Taine. they attended part time hours. After the centre brought them in, we paid $80 a week (after a minor subsidy) per child. the centre stopped allowing part time hours, so we had to be booked in full time for those days. not impressed but we like the carers, so we just suck it up. |
Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 7:32pm
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Oh we wont get a subsidy for Issy when she turns three - hadnt looked that far ahead lol.
So we will pay $146 for Isabelle and for Elias we will pay $245 per week (he will be getting a subsidy, so it comes down to about $160) so just over $300 for both. ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 7:35pm
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That sucks lizzle - totally unfair that you have been so disadvantaged because you have your kids in part time care. You'd think that the govt and centres would like to help parents raise their children at least some of the time - but it is such a financial advantage to have children in full time care. I, like you, worked out that I would only be paying roughly $30 per week more for DD to be in the centre fulltime rather than half and the extra amount I could earn working fulltime $$$$$$$ - its just ridiculous! ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 7:39pm
So on that basis lilfatty, it sounds like you'll get a full 20hrs free out of Issy's childcare costs? ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
lilfatty wrote:Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 7:48pm
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Well its $226 for her without the 20 hours, I presume we will get the full 20 hour subsidy as we get 20 hours subsidised now, so without looking I would guess we will get the full 20 hour subsidy and end up paying $146 for her. ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 7:59pm
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I hope so - $226 is very ouchy! Do you work fulltime? If yes, how do you enjoy it/manage it with two kids? ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 8:05pm
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That's weird cos I got a letter from barnadoes a while ago saying they will now be charging $1.40 per hour for the "free hours" as they can no longer do it for what the gov pays them but that if you get the childcare subsidy it would cover that charge.
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Posted By: Cassie
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 8:06pm
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Ivy has 20 free hours and is only in part time - we pay $4 for lunch on the days she has it there but nothing extra for those free hours. Sucks that its not actually 'free' at some centres though! ------------- ~Cassie~   
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 8:07pm
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there are no FREE hours. the new govt changed it to 20 ECE hours. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 8:11pm
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babyg - yes I work fulltime, however DH stopped work when Issy was four months and became our SAHD .. last year he started an ECE degree so Issy went into childcare part time so he could do his lectures and work experience.
Now that we have Elias .. Elias will go into childcare part time too when DH returns to school in Feb .. luckily he does his work experience where they go, so they have a parent on site on two of the three days.  ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 8:13pm
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Ours is structured so that when the 20 hours free came in, all fees for up to 3yo's went up and you actually only get $50 off for your 20 horus 'free' ($135 instead of $185). Doesn't really work at all, does it? But it's because the govt only pays a certain amount, and you can only take it 6 hours a day (well at ours you can anyway).
Just to clarify, you can't receive subsidies for the hours you receive the 20 hours free for anyone that was confused, as they would see that as double-dipping. |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 8:18pm
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This might help
http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/manuals-and-procedures/income_support/extra_help/childcare_assistance_programme/childcare_subsidy-16.htm Maybe I read the letter wrong, I just skimmed it as it doesn't apply to us yet. -------------
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 8:40pm
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I just read this on that site which I thought was interesting
Providers cannot charge fees for the Twenty hours Early Childhood Education hours but they can request families to pay an optional charge. Clients can choose whether or not to pay these. The provider can also request fees for other hours of enrolment that are not covered by the Twenty hours Early Childhood Education. |
Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 9:06pm
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Yes, our centre said that it is an 'optional charge' but if the parents 'choose' not to pay it then they are going to have to put the charges up to cover their 'optional charge' or reduce what they do for the children (food, outings, craft etc) so it seems a fairly 'forced' optional charge
I am going to look at a centre closer to home, it is a low-socio economic area (the one she currently goes to is high-socio) so they will charge way less for the 'optional charge' (if at all) and they are always desperate for kids on their enrollment so I think they would jump all over us to have C on their books. Will be interesting to see the differences. Thanks so much for all your input ladies .. and any to come is most welcome - will keep looking! ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 18 January 2010 at 9:08pm
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Hey Cassie - where does Ivy go to? ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
Posted By: Cassie
Date Posted: 19 January 2010 at 6:47am
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She goes down to ABC, loves it there! The staff are all really great. I should probably have organized to try and get Lauren in for a morning sometime cause I'm gonna miss everyone when Ivy goes to school! ------------- ~Cassie~
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Posted By: flakesitchyfeet
Date Posted: 26 January 2010 at 12:23pm
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Bizzy the name changed, but not the rules or functionality as yet.
Baby G, they can only charge you for any services above and beyond regulartory requirements. Eg. they may make you pay for ICT, Meals, etc. You can opt out of these, and according to current legislation, if they refuse then they are very much in the wrong, assuming you are just taking up your 20 free hours. But these quotes back me up. Straight from the MOE website. Other fees and charges If your child is attending ECE for more than six hours on any one day or more than 20 hours a week in total, your ECE service is likely to charge you fees for the remaining hours. The ECE service cannot charge you fees for any hours covered under 20 Hours ECE, but they can request optional charges for additional services over and above their regulatory requirements. They must tell you what these are. You can choose whether or not to pay optional charges. However: * if you agree to pay an optional charge, you commit to continuing to pay that charge until your child is no longer enrolled with the service * if you do not agree to pay an optional charge, you are confirming that you do not want the ECE service to provide the specified additional services to your child. How 20 Hours ECE works Currently all three- and four-year-olds at an ECE service offering 20 Hours ECE can get up to six hours a day and up to 20 hours per week of ECE with no compulsory fees. If a child does not start school when they turn five, they can continue to be eligible for 20 Hours ECE for up to 28 calendar days after their fifth birthday. http://www.minedu.govt.nz/parents/earlyyears/howeceworks/20hoursece.aspx - Useful information edited to add: Be wary of looking at a lower socio-economic centre, just make sure you check the quality of care, ratios of qualified teachers etc. Funding brackets may be different and therefore the resources available to teachers. TBH I'd fight the current ones on the surcharge. There would have to be alot of you not pay it to justify putting their rates up, and as it stands currently, they can not single out your child from using their equipment when she is there. |
Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 26 January 2010 at 7:36pm
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Yeah, I looked into the centre closer to home (low socio-economic area) but they only do ECE hrs so our next baby couldn't go there in addition to C so it just wouldn't work anyway.
DD is booked in for ECE hrs only (5hrs a day, 4 days per week - 20hrs total). Her centre provides free food (all meals - but very basic) and outings within the ECE hrs so what they are saying is that they would charge for those things if we didn't pay the optional rate and from the above, it appears that they would be within their legal rights to do so. It would roughly work out about the same in anycase, so we are just going to pay it. Its just unfortunate that in our case, the optional rate is pretty much what we are paying now barr a couple of dollars a week (because we get a high subsidy - sucky income!) So the government isn't really helping us out as a family anymore with the ECE hrs than they do already and I guess I thought it might bring it down a bit more than that
Thems the breaks - I need to keep working so that I have a job when the children are older as we really can't afford for one of us to be out of a job at any stage. Thanks very much to everyone for all the information. Ho-hum  ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |