cyrused

HI there
I wonder if someone could help me a little. By the time that we move my children will be six and two and i plan on working full time, In the UK we have a nanny who looks after the children while me and my husband work full time. When we move i would like the opportunity of working a little less and i wondered if anyone could tell me what the childcare arrangements are in Oz, with regards to nannies and childminders etc any infor would be greatly appreciated
Sally

dottyspots

Childminders are called 'family daycare'. There are also nurseries available and doubtless nannies too.

I can't say much more than that. I'm a registered childminder in the UK so have vaguely looked into continuing with that when we move and about as far as I've got is knowing I'll need a blue card

Our no.1. priority is passing TRA, then visa, then work for dh, I'm way down on that list

dottyspots

Just had an idea (i.e. looking at the various state websites), so, to save you the bother of searching:

http://www.sa.gov.au SA (again, education - you get the idea )

http://www.qld.gov.au/ Queensland

http://wa.gov.au/ WA

http://www.nt.gov.au/ NT

http://www.nsw.gov.au/ NSW

http://www.act.gov.au/CAP/accesspoint?action=menuHome ACT

Each of these sites will have info. on childcare in their respective states and territories.

HTHs.

dottyspots

Bizarre, it appears to be missing Victoria out: http://www.vic.gov.au

hubbard

Long day childcare in central Sydney is $85 a day for one child. A nanny will set you back about $45k a year. An aupair is considerably cheaper at about $20 an hour.

Angela Marie - Cairns

Hi my daughter is a little older at the age of 9.

I use pre school and post school care - I find it more expensive than the UK club - however MUCH better quality, from 3 pm - 6 pm its $13 per day
The holiday club for daily care 8 - 6 is $32 - again much better quality than we were used to in the UK - better structured and the snacks provided are healthy and a good variety.

Cost of working eh......

We do also qualify for a very small rebate cost towards this from Centre Link, which we were suprised about as we have only been here since 2.1.07 - on a 136 perm visa.
Angela

leigh&ivan

Hi Sally

Childcare info
http://www.facs.gov.au/internet/facs...milies-nav.htm

There are agencies to employ a nanny as you would in the UK - heres a couple just from a quick search
http://www.anannyonthenet.com/australia.html
http://www.careforkids.com.au/

Leigh

tracey.d

Does anybody know of anything for older children?

I've enquired about after school care for my son and was told that he will be too old. As I will be working shifts and his sister may be going to a different school I'm a bit concerned about what I'm going to do with son after school (and before occasionally) he'll be 12

dottyspots

Family daycare? I don't know re. any financial support, but family daycare is the Aussie equivalent of a childminder.

saoghalbeag

I didn't know we had nannies or au pairs!! They seem a reasonable option financially in the UK, does anyone know if that is the case here??

I would love a nanny, and can't wait til we go back to the UK so I can get one. My sister worked as a nanny in the UK and I liked the idea.

Currently my daughter goes to Family Day Care, where one lady looks after a number of children in her own home. I've heard they are often cheaper than regular daycare. I personally prefer it to daycare centres as my daughter knows just the one carer and small bunch of kids.

I grew up in a small town and they had local churches organise after school care for kids but it wasn't very regular. I think a lot of schools have after school care and if kids are at primary school they can attend. Family Day Care take kids up to the age of 12 for after school/holiday care.

Not sure what to do with high school - maybe sign them up for sports and clubs every afternoon, lol!!

hubbard

Nanny - a reasonable option financially - ummmm full time day care is about $21K pa (11 months care) and a nanny is about $45k p.a. So unless you are pretty loaded a nanny is unlikely to be viable. Au pairs are considerably cheaper $30k - $35k - p.a but they tend to be young and inexperienced with kids so may be ok for an older child but not a baby or a toddler.

I'd love the ease and convenience of a nanny but at double the cost it isn't going to happen.

My prices were based on central Sydney and one 1 child under 1 year of age.

woody1cruiser

I run a long day care centre in WA. The daily fees vary so much. We charge $38 per day but that does not include a lunch. In the local town, I know the prices go up to about $65 a day (including lunch). The long day care offers after school and vacation care but there are also vacation clubs and set ups just for the older children. This is for up to 13 year olds. They are more relaxed out here about leaving kids home alone which I find worrying but then I am in WA which I have found stands for 'wait awhile' rather than western Australia.

There is also family day care (childminders) but there is a shortage and the organisation is crying out for new people to provide care.

Debs

dottyspots

That's interesting - I wonder whether that's the same for Victoria. I'm a registered childminder and was hoping to register as a family daycarer in Victoria. I'm currently studying a Cert. Early Years Ed. with the possibility of topping it up to a foundation degree (which I'm not really enjoying to be honest - I've studied at a higher level before in an unrelated field, but for some reason this course really isn't 'clicking' with me).

Working from home is the best option for me atm due to my own childcare commitments, although I might consider a return to the Youth Service for the evening shifts (I used to do detached youth work on the streets and on voluntary projects working with young people considered to be 'in danger of social exclusion' - not a term I like particularly).