MadMuvva

Hello

My daughter is due to start nursery this year, getting her 12 1/2 hours free place (in UK still).

What is the set-up down under? Would she get a free place for 2 years before she starts school? Is that from 3 years as not sure exactly when school starts?

Many thanks.

roaringmouse

Probably dependent on state - you've moving to Melbourne, right?

MadMuvva

Hi roaringmouse.

No, it will be New South Wales.

cheers

quoll

Nope, you will be paying until she hits full time school at 5. ACT IIRC is the only state to have universal free preschool education for 4 year olds (nothing for 3 year olds). All the other states are user pays set ups although you have already been made aware of the child care rebate if you are working as well.

In NSW your daughter will start school in the year that she turns 5 before 31 July

MadMuvva

Hmm. I am surprised. It is basically pushing Mothers into working, in order to claim childcare costs to fund nursery places. There is no doubt in my mind that a 3 and 4 year old need nursery time but what about people who can't afford the costs? I don't think we would be able to. I don't agree with working too many hours when your children are young - I don't mind doing something part time.

I think the UK in some ways, has many advantages over Australia.

Thanks

roaringmouse

I think the family benefits are normally more generous than in the UK - in our case we have 2 pre-school kids, one diagnosed with autism so my wife also gets carers allowance, plus rent assistance and this all adds up to just over $700/fortnight. However that is the maximum, as I'm not on the best of wages right now.

Butterfly Bokeh

Depends I think on how you view it really I think?

I view it as a more supportive system to those parents that need to or even want to work?

There's nothing to say you have to work when your children are little. Living in the UK i have done different things whilst my children have been little not working when I've been able to spend time with them, working part time and working full time when necessary to do so.
If we were to stay in the UK instead of moving to Australia we would only get the free funding for our little girl who is now 3 if we sent her to a nursery that doesn't come highly recommended or continue to pay for her child care through a childminder which has provided in our opinion a much better environment than this particular nursery that 2 of our other children attended.

I'm quite happy to have our little girl at home for the next 2 years, we have no plans on having anymore children and I'd like to think that she would meet some other children her age at the local park/ through neighbours, siblings friends, we're now at the end of a lovely week away with the kids, where she enjoyed exploring the country, the beach got to see seals and snakes etc, got to hold a tarrantula and centipede. We've gone through countless pieces of paper as she's drawn picture after picture and is learning to write her name - fantastic. She's played with other kids at each different place we've visited this week as well as play with her siblings.

We view the funding in the UK as a luxury, I'm sure it's probably a luxury thats well under review anyway. An I wouldn't be surprised if the funding could be set for a shake up in years to come.

I'm not sure every 3 and 4 year old needs nursery time tho, I agree that some do, some are more than ready for the challenges it brings but equally some others would benefit from staying at home until school is compulsory and there will be some who adapt to whatever.
What makes me feel sad is when you hear the parents who put their children into these funded places at nurseries say 'Just left _____ in there screaming his head off but at least thats 2 an half hours I don't have to put up with him'


Wish you luck in whatever you decide to do

quoll

They dont "need" nursery time but they do need socialization so there are always playgroups, activity groups, library reading times, sporting activities, play dates etc. No one is forcing women into employment - I think the government would be quite happy if mothers stayed home and did these things with their kids themselves. There are lots of socialization experiences to be had but few of them are free.

lynetteh

I am a stay at home mum with a 1 year old and a 3 year old. My 3 year old is not in any form of care. I would have to pay full day care fees of $80-100 per day (while working mums get half of this back). I am at home looking after the little one anyway that I just cant justify paying this for him, and from the day cares I visited them are definitely not teaching them anything that I don't, he was well ahead of the curve at his recent 3 year checkup. Also I like being around as a constant reminder of manners, correct language use and a hundred other things that I think only the one to one contact can provide. We do have loads of socialisation opportunities for him: He goes to swimming lessons, and sports introduction lessons, which are quite pricy, but to be honest most of his socialising is from the free activities: trips to one of 5 parks I can walk to, having playdate with my friends' children, free activities in the town center and the library etc.
So I guess my point is if you are happy with daycare and can afford the money etc great, but dont let anyone tell you that kids 3 years and under NEED to go to daycare/nursery etc. The government subsidises 4 year old kinder because that is when it is proven that children need that form of formalised educational environment to begin their preparation for school, not anytime before then.

fish.01

Income tested but "If you are using approved care, you will get up to 24 hours of Child Care Benefit per child per week without having to meet the work, training, study test."

http://www.familyassist.gov.au/payme...study-test.php

lynetteh

The work, training, study test is applicable for the child care rebate, where 50% of the child care fees are paid for. The child care benefit is available, depending on your family income, up to 24 hours a week without having to meet the work,study, training test. It is only worth $3.80 an hour do even if you qualified for it you would still be out of pocket between $50-$75 a day ($600 plus per month!), which to me sounds like a lot of money for a low income stay at home mum

Geordie George

My 3-year-old daughter goes to a community preschool for two days a week. It's a much cheaper option than a long daycare centre (we pay about $45 per day, compared to about $80 for daycare. Daycare costs decrease with age.). But the hours reflect that; the preschool we use is open from 8.45am-3.30pm. It's fine for us, as I don't work; we just use it as another socialisation opportunity for Miss Moo. Preschools here don't teach anything- it's all completely play-based learning, at the child's own pace. If they pick up stuff like reading or writing, fine, but it's not expected.

Your daughter can start school in January of the year that she turns 5, provided her birthday is before 31 July in that year. She must be enrolled by her 6th birthday. It seems pretty common here for children to be held back and do two years of preschool.

MadMuvva

thanks folks.

So to re-cap. There is govt funding for 4 year olds to attend kindy?

Is there no curriculum in place for children under 5 that childcare establishments have to follow? That is shocking. I tell you, some things I like about Australia but this is one thing that I'm not liking!

I think kids under 5 do need some stimulation and tbh, I need the break! Think it's good for both of us.

She will be starting school earlier than here then though, which has surprised me. Thought it was later. She turns 5 in 2014 before the July so will start in the January then instead of August here. Do they go full time straightaway or phased in? Sorry - not wanting to sound like I want her off my hands, just wanting to know what will happen. This is for NSW.

Many many thanks folks.

quoll

Most states still have a user pays set up for preschool education although some states have aspirations to a universal free preschool provision as the ACT does. NSW has a few government provided preschools but they tend to be in areas of special need and there is a parental contribution for them as well (providing the parent can pay)

Child care centres do have to be approved and are monitored but there is no prescribed early childhood curriculum - heck, Australia is only now just getting round to a national curriculum for school age kids let alone preschoolers.

Geordie George

Like Quoll says, you'll be paying for her to be in a preschool program, if you choose for her to attend. The CCR is there if you're working.

Early childhood places have to adhere to the quality framework, but that emphasises 'belonging, being and becoming' - it's about developing confidence, a sense of identity and fostering a desire to learn. Preschool here is about developing school readiness, not additional schooling.

http://www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildho...%20-%20WEB.pdf