School Holidays Question
 

As we won't get any annual leave until we have worked for 12 months and considering we won't have an immediate support network when we arrive. I have started to worry about how we would manage during the school holidays. Our children will be 11 and 13 when we arrive. Initially my husband won't work but to survive he will need to get a job. What do families do during the school holidays? Are there summer schools? If there are, are they expensive? I know prices will vary depending on the club, but it would be helpful to know what people do. Many thanks.

Re: School Holidays Question
 

Yes, there are holiday clubs. Some schools that have before and after school clubs have school holiday clubs run by the same people - around us they are about $50 a day. Some community centres run them too - our closest one is $25 a day for 9-3 and you add on a bit more if they are there before 9/after 3.
There are also school holiday clubs run by various sporting/special interest clubs. These can be anywhere from $40-100 a day depending on what the activity is.

Most people I know do a combination of holiday clubs, taking a day or two off and "swapping" kids, so you have someone else's kids as well as you own on your day off and they take yours on their day off.

Re: School Holidays Question
 

You can take leave during the first year
Whether you get it granted during school holidays is another matter all together

Re: School Holidays Question
 

It all depends on your employer and how flexible they are. Technically that is the rule regarding annual leave but some employers will still allow you to take some leave in your first year. Personally I would avoid companies who don't offer a little bit of flexibility (say let you have 1 week)as I would wonder how stingy they would be in other areas...

Re: School Holidays Question
 

if you can negotiate a holiday structure into you work contract then do so, MrF's wage here is not that great for the senior role he is in and he has negotiated a pretty good holiday package and personal development time to allow for holidays and his volunteer work.

but as others have said there are quite a few holiday clubs around, end times might be an issue on some of them and obviously there is the cost.

Only you know how sensible you children are as to what and how long you would be prepared to leave them on their own once you are established and hopefully you would be in an area where people will take the family under their wing and help. Until you know your logistics there's not a lot you can prepare for as you would want to go and visit the holiday programmes etc

Re: School Holidays Question
 

Thanks for the info. You are right, until we know where we are going we are unable to plan and I will have to accept that during this move I will have to take it in my stride. At least I know that there will be options available.

I will be wary of employers that offer little to no flexibility, however I will take any initial job offer to get the visa, after we are there I will then be more in control of where I will work. Unfortunately my children do not get on well, however you never know the move might help them to form a better bond (I can hope) :-)