Also daycare fees need to be paid in holidays also - albeit usually at half rate if notice is given.
Shannon, do you mean if your family goes on holidays, or holidays where the centre is closed (like christmas/easter etc)

I do not get half price even with notice, if I wanted to go on a holiday and take Milo out of creche for 2 weeks etc. I get the minimum amt for the childcare rebate, which for me is about $17/8 a week.

After the rebate we pay $159.35/wk for 3 days care (Milo is with family 2 days). you can choose to have it taken out each week/ftnight or get it in a lump sum at the end of the year.

There is also the other childcare 30% rebate which is a tax reduction and is done the next financial year after you've paid for childcare.

I agree, unless you are on a professional wage is can be more cost effective to stay home than go to work, when you add up the rest of the costs of working.

there is also the emotional cost to the working mum and her family. If I didn't have to go to work, I would stay home for this reason.

PS. I don't have a cleaner, but my house is clean (well its messy a lot, but not dirty)