VanWykeC Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 MorningI understand that the good day care facilities might have waitinglists for enrolment.If all goes according to our plan, our son will only start day care in Jan 2014. I am trying my best to google good day care facilities and making contact with them.What is your opinion about paying a bond fee to put my sons name on a waiting list with a day care facility I googled and contacted for more information. Should I visit the facility on our activation trip and find that it is not suitable or on our standard, I will only loose the bond payment of $20. On the other hand, if I am happy with the facility, I might have a better chance of getting my son enrolled as his name would be on the waiting list already.RegardsCarien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaL Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Are any of the daycares willing to put you on a waiting list without you having a residential address in the area?Most facilities charge a fee of some description, bond, or admin, to put you on their waiting list. You need to find out what length of waiting list they have, it could be two years or more.How certain are you of securing a rental or house in the area?Personally,I don't think you can tell what a facility is like without having seen it on more than one occasion or without recommendation from other people. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 out of interest, how much do they charge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWykeC Posted June 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 @AndreaL, I specifically mentioned to them that I wont have an address to supply yet as we aren't really sure where we will end up as that will be determined by other factors like rental affordability/availability and finding employment.I will definitely search and ask for recommendations once we know where we want to settle. My husband will stay behind after our activation trip and I will only join him a few months later. The idea behind this decision is to only join him once he has a job and rental secured and most importantly-finding good day care for our son. In ideal circumstances, I will only apply for work myself once Joshua is settled and happy. I guess I am concerned about not finding place at a good facility and therefor I am trying to do some research now already. I do not want to put stress on my child by having to put him somewhere, just to take him out once the prefered day care has an opening. Trying to avoid this. Am I too paranoid? Thank you for your advice.@Erik, they charge $97 per day (this exclude Child Care Rebates). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibella Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Rather wait until you are here. Things normally do work out and they are also never the way you imagine them to be.So yes you are a bit too paranoid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaL Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Yes, try not to over think things.....you can plan tis like a military exercise and see all of your plans go out the window when you arrive.Also, don't underestimate the value having a child and going to play groups etc is in getting to know people, making friends, fitting in etc.Take your time if you are lucky enough to have a good financial grounding, take that time out for a while to just get to know your new country together.You never know, you may end up landing a good job and a super friend through someone you meet in this way.Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWykeC Posted June 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Thanks.So I guess the better thing to do now is to buy myself a good bottle of wine....and to chill.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaL Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyW Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 We're in the same boat. Hoping to go over in Jan 2014 to start my son in year 1 and my daughter in a good pre-school.I've been battling to get in touch with pre-schools or daycares to get a cost estimated, etc. So I guess we'll also just need to wait until we're there and then try get them both into good places inthe area we live.It does make you feel a bit panicky though not knowing if they'll be accepted or where they'll be going to school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWykeC Posted June 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 Good to know that I am not the only one panicking about this...but then again...I panic about everything ...more wine please....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 (edited) I think it depends which city, and which area of the city you are going to. And also how old your child is. For very young children there is more demand and class sizes are smaller due to the legislated teacher/child ratio. Good centres in inner Sydney may be hard to get into for example where outer Sydney may have lots of space. Maybe you could try and get a feel for the demand by emailing some of the centres in the areas you are thinking about. Asking on this forum might help as well: http://www.bubhub.com.au/index.php Edited June 7, 2013 by Fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWyke Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Thank you Fish-will do that! (Using hubbies account as it is just after 4am...on our way to IELTS...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerhardk Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 We found getting kids into daycare easier than getting into school. So for kindy / school register your interest and pay the fee.Daycare tend to have a high turnover of kids and often kids are not in there the whole week either since flexible work arrangements for mums and dads are quite common.We tried two daycare and ended at family daycare which is a daycare at someone's home. It can be a blessing or a curse depending if you trust the person however our kids love their 'other mom'.If you have areas in mind maybe post a question of daycare facilities in the area. All daycares are relatively good, very expensive and highly regulated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieter7 Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 HiWe have done this last year. We had to settle with a day care outside our area(Baulkham Hills, Sydney), because none of the daycare facilities could take both our kids 5 days a week. If your kids are not going to be there the whole week you will definitely have a choice of day care facilities. We also paid a fee to put them on a waiting list, but this was only at one facility and I think it was more like $50. Our kids ended up in one where they did not charge to get on the waiting list but they do charge an enrolment fee of $100Go and visit these facilities if you can, just to give yourself some piece of mind.Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllisonW Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 I am about to return to work for the first time here in melbourne and had to get childcare for my 2 year old.It is difficult especially if you want 5 days a week. Many moms work part time here and so they put their kids in for 2 or 3 days only. So full time spaces are limited. It costs me $92 a day for childcare, brought down to about $50 on PR. Just to highlight that the waiting list is no guarantee that you will have a space for your child. They wont keep a space for you unless you are here to take it the next day. So i think it will make very little difference. I found a great daycare that I loved for my daughter, right next to my sons primary school and I had to immediately enroll her and pay to keep the space. So this meant that I had to carry childcare for two months before I started working. I think that its more difficult to find childcare than schooling because if you live in the area and do public the schools have to take you. Not so with childcare.My best advice is to wait till arrival and then check the local ones out and see what space they have. websites can be very misleading and I am a firm believer that you have to "feel" the environment at a school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWykeC Posted June 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 Thank you for all the advice.Think I should check it out on our activation trip and then recheck it again once I am for good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varsh Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 Hi I am also in a wobble here. Need to send my son to a creche from next year. He will be 3 and I also want to go back to work.How do the creche's operate? What are their times like? and what about after care how does that work?We are going over in July so I would actually like to go see the creche's cos I too believe to go see and "feel" the environment.Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerhardk Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 I think a creche is a daycare. Very regulated and very expensive. Basically two types, daycare with lots of personnel and family daycare which is usually a mom. All have a limited to number of children to registered carer. Family daycare max 7 kids of which max 0-4 year olds and max 3 before and after school care.The opening times generally from 7am to 6pm but sometimes a bit less - our family daycare 7:30 - 17:30. So if you commute an hour and work full time one parent must drop (I hate that part) and the other collect.Doubt you will find after care for non-school going kids, probably go to baysitting at about $20-$25 per hour (no rebates). It is really beneficial for one parent to stay at home after you arrive for say 6 months so little kids can settle. Considering cost of daycare, if you can afford, almost better to stay at home till kids are at least in kiindy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varsh Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 HiThanks for your advice. Yes creche is a daycare. I need to get used to calling it a daycare:-)wow 7 kids allowed that sounds really good as they will get individual attention. what ages do they start kindy there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 Two full days at daycare for our 2yo costs $80 in total in Brisbane if that is any guide. Assuming you have PR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWykeC Posted June 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 How do I calculate the amount that the government will rebate for child care if on PR, or does that depend on the salary we will earn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 Its all a bit confusing with different names to what these places were called in RSA, and there can be differences between states too. At the moment in Sydney (NSW), family day care (aka day mom) can look after a max of 5 kids. By next year, that drops to 4 and the carer will have to have specified childcare qualifications to a certain level. It is mega regulated (for good reason). Creche is probably "long daycare". Open long hours for working parents. Remember, in Aus employers can be very accommodating with flexi hour and days. I know very few working women that work Mon to Fri 9-5. There is more to life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyW Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I'm still trying to get my head around the pre-school or kindy hours! ANd the fact that part time working is so normal for many moms!My daughter wil be 4 in November so should start kindy in 2014. Does this mean she'll go to pre-school some days and then another creche the rest of the time if I am working full-time, or will she be at one place that offers full-day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted June 14, 2013 Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 Mandy, in NSW, pre school is from 9am to 3pm. The government has promised that each child of 4yrs is entitled to 15 hours of pre school a week. So your child can either do, 3 days at a pre school 9-3pm if you want and go to either family day care or a long day day care centre for the other two days. OR, you could enrol her in a long day day care with a pre school program. This is a useful site. http://www.careforkids.com.au/pre-school/nsw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varsh Posted June 14, 2013 Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 Wow I can't believe that it's a rule for a 4yr old child to attend 15 hours of pre school a week. That's amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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