Marie_m

Can anyone give me a rough price of child care costs? Myself and my partner will be working full time (fingers crossed) so we will be looking for after school and holiday club fee's for our two girls aged 7 and 9. This will be in the Brisbane area if it makes any difference to cost.

Thanks
Marie

shecha

Hi Marie,
The last time I saw child care costs mentioned on here I was very surprised how expensive it was. I can't remember what the thread started as though.
I know that a full day in a private nursery for under 5's was $100, which is about £40.00, which is alot more expensive than what I currently pay in the UK - £27.00.
Not sure about after school/holiday clubs though. Do a search on here, there's usually people who will have asked the same questions before.
Where in Brisbane are you heading? We're off to Brisbane as soon as the house is sold.
Shell

ABCDiamond

The government rebate on Child Care will vary depending on your actual income, it can be as high as 85% of fees rebated, or it could drop to NIL rebate.

The ABC Developmental Learning Centers, is a group of Child care centres, and you could phone them on (07) 3286 5785 to get an accurate figure of costs before rebate.

jac16

Not sure if this helps but we pay $390 a week for 2 children (One 5 days, one 4 days). It is with ABC - They do school runs and holiday cover aswell but are very over subscribed. I would definatley recomend getting their names on any waiting list now and then you can not accept a place if you dont like it.

Loopy

There are many after school care/vacation care organisations (depending on your area) which just provide this care, they are not daycare or nurseries but particularly targeted at the 5-12 year old bracket. There are large organisations such as YMCA and smaller ones often attached to individual schools.

Costs vary but as mentioned are linked to the amount of CCB (Childcare benefit) you receive. The centre I use charges $13 full fee for after school care, this is then reduced by the amount of CCB you receive, this is from after school until 6p.m. and they get afternoon tea. For vac care it's $34 full fee, again reduced according to your CCB. For this, hours are 7.30-6p.m. there is a trip 8days out of 10 and it includes morning and afternoon tea. The trips are really good too, the zoo, movies, bowling, Q-zar, museums, parks & bbqs etc.

Hope this helps although we're in Perth.

Loopy

ABCDiamond

Do you get Child Care Benefit against this ? or is it after any child care.
It's more expensive than private schooling !!

shecha

Hi Jac16,
Are the costs you have mentioned for full days and are these the prices charged by ABC, or the amount you after any benefits towards the costs of childcare??
I've heard you need to put yur name down early for places, so I'll do this as soon as I get to Oz.
Cheers
Shell

ACE

Hi Marie_m,
This link might be useful

http://www.qld.bubhub.com.au/qldchildcare.htm

ACE

jac16

The nursery is open from 7am to 6pm - they dont stay all of that time but it is available if we want it.

We can claim back the rebate which i think is a minimum of 17%. We agree it is very expensive. There are cheaper options (child minders) but it works for us.

(We worked out it is another mortgage)

Marie_m

Hi Shell

$100 is a bargain to me, when my girls were under 5 I was paying £80 week each for full time nursery!!!! Now there both at after school I pay £50 per week for both of them, that's from 3 - 6pm.

Not sure of exact location yet, but were hoping to go around March, April time, fingers crossed Where abouts are you going to??

Marie

shecha

Hi Marie,
Not sure if I was clear or not, I meant $100 per day per child under 5 - not per week. That would work out at the equivalent of around £200.00 per week per child, which is alot more than the £80.00 per week per child you were paying, which is why I thought it was quite expensive!!! But I've read a few more threads on the subject of child care costs and a lot of people seem to paying less than $100 per day and many seem to get child care benefit which reduces the cost as well, so it might be cheaper than I originally thought - hopefully!!
We're heading for Bracken Ridge area of Brisbane North as soon as the house sells which will hopefully be before Christmas!!!
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!
Good luck!!!
Shell

Marie_m

Shell

Stupid me!! SHould have read the post properly. $100 a day :scared: is a lot. Wonder if my other half would let me stay at home instead of work!!! I think not
Have you been to Bracken Bridge before?? Were still trying to decide where to go??

Marie

shecha

Hi Marie,
We have family in Bracken Ridge and stayed with them in June for 3 weeks to check it all out. Bracken Ridge is a lovely place with good road/bus/train links into the city. It's only 5 mins from the nearest beach at Sandgate and 10-15 mins from Redcliffe which is lovely! The relatives love it there and wouldn't live anywhere else and we are going to rent a house there while we check everywhere else out to decide where to buy.
We looked in the South of the city and noted the road links etc were not as good as the north and some areas in the south were awful - Inala being the worst!!!
Are you going to go for a holiday first?
Shell

Marie_m

No were jumping head first into it We both work at the same company and they won't allow us to take 3 or more weeks off together So we haven't really got any choice. I was born in Penrith, NSW but left Aus along time ago so I don't remember it at all Were are going to start off somewhere near Brisbane but don't know where we will end up, we have two young girls as well so we don't want to keep disrupting them.
The time's going now where, before we know it will be March and we'll be getting ready to go

shecha

Hi Marie,
I was born in Oz too, in Southport on the Gold Coast and I left there and came to Uk with my mother when I was 4, so I couldn't remember any of it either.
I think Brisbane will be a good place for you to start off and I bet you'll like it so much you won't wanna leave!!!
How old are your girls???
My son is 2 and he's a right little tyke, but adorable with it. Especially when he's asleep!! Ha ha ha!
Shell