Kindergarten / Pre-school options

[Flanker]

Hi,

We are planning on leaving SA for Adelaide in September 2010 and need a bit of clarity/advise regarding Child Care and pre-school options in Adelaide. No suburb in mind yet.

Our son will be 4 in August and would therefore attend pre-school. Now, pre-school is from 9:00 - 15:00 on weekdays and we would need to either make use of after school services for him or work something out with a child care facility ? We like the pre-school option because of the activities and routine.

My daughter will be 2 years of age in May and would have to attend long day child care as both of us will be working full days (8:00 - 17:00).

This is also going to be a costly affair !!!

Any other parents in a similar position ? We need to understand the options and would prefer both our kids to go to the same school, if possible ?

Regards,

N

[Lonzo]

I wait in anticipation for this answer ...........my kids are 4 and 1.5 so I will be in the same situation in Adelaide from 1 june. What I do know is child care is costly between $60 and $80 per day. This is unbelievable as two kids could cost $ 160 x 22 days a month = $ 3500 per month = R24 000 per month. You can evidently claim some of the cost back from the government at the end of the year, but only if you have duel earnings of a very low nature, something like $50 000 per annum, so it is not much help. Although having said this if you are only moving their half way through the year, you could perhaps get some help in the first year.

[Jordy]

Yes child care is very very expensive and is rising all the time. We got a letter from the Government Minister of Something or Other that said that the government was decreasing the ratio of minder to child (ie less children/teacher) and so the rates would be increasing. The change of law will be completed by 2012. The government says the daily rates should only go up $3 because of this but the opposition says it will increase at least $22 a day.

You can get a rebate if both parents are working of up to 50% of out of pocket expences but to a maximum of $7500 a year. But still it often proves so expensive that mom's are forced to stay at home, especially with multiple toddlers because it is just not worth it working if you are paying out thousands in daycare fees.

[K'moerse trek]

The indirect benefits of the second income like super annuation, and the three year experience you gain over stay at home parents should be considered. If you however are not earning in excess of $60 000 p.a. you should rather consider a part time work as a next best option.