How does childcare work and cost

[Irish Kelie]

Hi all, trying to pick more experienced brains again. i have 3 kids oldest 6 , next aged 3 nearly 4 and baby 5mths.

 

First question will second child go to school, if so is it kindy, preschool (whats its name!!)???

 

What time do they generally go to?

 

Do they have afterschools facilities, (like creche here) that can pick them up from school?

 

Are there any facility that baby could go to all day and other 2 could get picked up and minded at till we get out of work??

 

Also if any1 has any answers to these questions also pricing on this to see if it would be worth my while going to work, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance:notworthy:

[ozzieclare2be]

ok will give u my example. I have a son aged 2.5 he goes to fulltime nursery and can go up to 50 hours a week. The cost is $300 a week but we get $90 paid in childcare benefit (depends what visa u on if temporary then u wont get this).

 

Then every 13 weeks i get half of my out of pocket costs back in a rebate (again permananent res only i think)So $1300, which means i really pay $100 a week for full time. There are after scholl care clubs, and childcare centers, family day care which are cheaper but places difficult to find! Hope this helps x

[Irish Kelie]

Again thanks Clare, i am on PR visa so thats gr8 news, do you apply to tax office for this, or how does rebate work? Also how do you go about locating these nurseries, after schools?? Am i better waiting till i know where i am going to live and aschool the kids b4 looking for these centresor are there long waiting list??

[ozzieclare2be]

Again thanks Clare, i am on PR visa so thats gr8 news, do you apply to tax office for this, or how does rebate work? Also how do you go about locating these nurseries, after schools?? Am i better waiting till i know where i am going to live and aschool the kids b4 looking for these centresor are there long waiting list??

 

id worry about that when you get here as you dont know where you will be living . You apply through centerlink, you will also be entitled to family assistance and possibly rental assistance when you get here. You automatically get the rebate paid once your registed for family assistance even if your not entitled to the family assistance hope this makes sense x

[lorluc]

Okay...this has been my situation up until recently.

 

My son attended Happy Valley ChildCare centre on the days i worked. I got childcare benefit towards the cost.........but the amount you get will be based on your income.

 

When he started kindy, i chose to send him next door to Happy Valley Kindergarten. They have arrangements with the Childcare centre, where the pick the kids up and drop them off. With kindy times being 8.45-11.30 or something like 12.30-3.15.........it is very hard to work when they start there.

 

I would have liked my son to attend the kindy at the school.....but decided that things had to be 'convenient' for me. Both kindys are excellent!

 

Schools have before and after school care and also vacation care.............

 

Like the other benefits, if you decide to take the benefits on a fortnightly basis, make sure your income estimates are accurate. They will work out your childcare benefit on this information. If your estimate is wrong and you earn more...you will be expected to pay back the benefit you shouldn't have received.

 

Lorraine

 

If you