Childcare/after school clubs/summer camps

[michael1981]

Hi there

 

We are at the start of the long process of emigrating. As my wife has got to change her qualifications over to the Oz equivalent then it could take up to two years.

 

It is our intention for both of us to be working however our son will be 5/6 by the time we arrive. I was just wondering how popular/good after school clubs/child care and school holiday clubs are. The jobs that we have over here are not Monday to Friday, my wife works a Saturday as its her busy day and I work shifts. We are planning to do the same jobs in Oz(fingers crossed).

 

As with most people who make the leap we do not have any family in Adelaide so will will be solely dependent on clubs and childcare to assist until we finish work.

 

Although it will be difficult the draw of brining our son up out with the UK(west coast of Scotland) is the driving factor, as with the other benefits of living and brining children up in a different culture/society.

 

Thanks in advance for any responses [emoji2]

[Guest roo]

i have only just moved so my sons have only accessed childcare and OSHC (after school club) for about 4 weeks but they are great and my kids have loved going so far (they are 5 & 6 so one at kindy and childcare the other school and OSHC). Even better if you have 2 kids accessing some sort of childcare you get 67% paid by the government!! 9i couldn't believe how little OSHC was costing us - its hardly worth not sending them!!

[NicF]

i have only just moved so my sons have only accessed childcare and OSHC (after school club) for about 4 weeks but they are great and my kids have loved going so far (they are 5 & 6 so one at kindy and childcare the other school and OSHC). Even better if you have 2 kids accessing some sort of childcare you get 67% paid by the government!! 9i couldn't believe how little OSHC was costing us - its hardly worth not sending them!!

 

How much you get paid by the government depends on how much you earn as a family. At the moment with the childcare rebate everyone gets at least 50% of the out of pocket costs paid up to a maximum of $7500 a year. If you earn less than a certain amount a year then you will also get childcare benefit which pays a percentage of your childcare costs on a sliding scale according to earnings. The more you earn the less you get.

 

On the childcare front my kids go the OSHC. The youngest (9) really enjoys it and there have been times where he doesn't want to come home in the evening. My eldest (13 and in year 7) is getting a bit old and would rather not go at all but he's not the only year 7 there. The OSHC my kids go to runs from 7am to 6:15pm pretty much all year except public holidays and a two week break at Christmas. They have lots of different activities on for the kids to choose from and provide breakfast and afternoon tea. During the holidays they do excursion days twice a week and the last day is a wheels day with a pizza lunch (provided in the cost). The cost varies from centre to centre and most schools seem to have an OSHC attached to them.

 

Alternative forms of childcare are family day care (like a childminder) or a nanny or au pair. I don't have any experience of any of these here so can't comment on anything about them.

[michael1981]

Thanks for the responses. It sounds like a great scheme.

 

Well that has at least answered one of the many questions I am going to have.

 

Cheers again [emoji2]