Increase in child care fees - has anyone heard anything???

[BrightSparkles]

I heard something in the news the other day about the raise in CC fees next year. Has anyone heard anything more about it or know more details about whats being proposed?

[Indadhanu]

There have been changes to the ratio's and staff education/qualification requirements, and I was chatting to our director and while our centre isn't effected as we have great ratios and qualified staff, many others are having to increase fee's by $50-100 a week in some centres to cover the ratio changes and increased staff required. I don't know when the new ratio laws come into place though, I'll find that out. I THINK it's July 1. Best to ask your centre though.

[Gigi]

i read the official ration used to be
one worker to 8 children
now the govt has changed that to
one worker to 5 children (based on reports by early childcare professionals)
(the finer detail is, is that for the baby;s rooms only, or other agegroups too?)
and the govt thinks it will push costs up by something minimally (to increase the ratios), but some of the centres disagree.

i haven't read this, but there may be something extra, like the workers needing to have an early childhood qualification - which means higher pay.
So i would imagine the centres with the most untrained staff would be having the most problems transitioning to the new rules.

i suspect each childcare centre will be affected differently, i'm asking ours today. They already have good ratios and mainly trained workers so i don't expect they'll have much to change.

I met one of the people reporting to the Govt on this issue at our CCC earlier year, they were just collecting data at the time.

[Indadhanu]

ages birth to 2yo: new ratio 1 to 4
2yo-3yo: new ratio 1 to 5
3yo+: new ratio 1 to 10 (or 11 I think)

I think the biggest changes are to under 3's, I don't know the old ratios but I don't think the 3+ age group ratios have changed much?

The qualification laws don't come in until 2012 but basically all need to be studying or qualified (I think thats the same as before?). Each centre must have at least one person studying a Early Childhood uni degree. To be a group leader a person must be studying or hold a diploma (I think before it was just holding a Cert III?). So it's going to mean more staff will have to get a Diploma for the center to have a qualified group leader in each room.

[BrightSparkles]

Do these changes affect FDC??

[Indadhanu]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, thats a good question!!

[luna moth]

Nearly there Leash!

ages birth to 2yo: new ratio 1 to 4
2yo-3yo: new ratio 1 to 5
3yo+: new ratio 1 to 10 (or 11 I think)

I think the biggest changes are to under 3's, I don't know the old ratios but I don't think the 3+ age group ratios have changed much?

The qualification laws don't come in until 2012 but basically all need to be studying or qualified (I think thats the same as before?). Each centre must have at least one person studying a Early Childhood uni degree. To be a group leader a person must be studying or hold a diploma (I think before it was just holding a Cert III?). So it's going to mean more staff will have to get a Diploma for the center to have a qualified group leader in each room.

Ratios were right, 1:4 for under 2s; 1:5 for 2-3s and 1:11 for 3-5s.
Previously these ratios varied from state to state. On Monday last week a decision was made to bring them all into line.
All staff working with children need to hold or be studying a Certificate III in Children's Services.
Group Leaders will need to hold or be studying a Diploma of Children's Services. This was already the case. Now, 50% of staff at the centre are expected to hold a diploma.
Every centre will need to have at least one staff member who holds or is studying a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education. Centres that are larger than 60 place may need to have two staff holding or studying the degree.

The changes don't come into effect until 2012. The added cost to childcare users is supposed to be less than $10 a week (and as Director of a non-profit, this sounds reasonable) but I wouldn't be surprised if some operators jacked the prices up by more in a grab to increase their profit margins. Some may start increasing now to cover training costs down the track (which is ridiculous as the Govt has so many incentives and subsidies for childcare qualifications)

What a win for Australia's children, is all I have to say.

ETA: No, there were no changes to FDC legislation, so FDC is unlikely to be affected.

[BrightSparkles]

N

ETA: No, there were no changes to FDC legislation, so FDC is unlikely to be affected.

Thanks hun! x
I wasn't sure and was taking this into consideration as to whether or not it was worth going back to wk next year

[Floweryfields]

There have been changes to the ratio's and staff education/qualification requirements, and I was chatting to our director and while our centre isn't effected as we have great ratios and qualified staff, many others are having to increase fee's by $50-100 a week in some centres to cover the ratio changes and increased staff required. I don't know when the new ratio laws come into place though, I'll find that out. I THINK it's July 1. Best to ask your centre though.

I am a centre director -I was only reading the media release for centres today - it's worth noting that the ratio changes aren't proposed until 2012 at the earliest, some can get exemptions from the changes up to 2020, so large fee rises shouldn't be necessary just yet, not until the proposals are enforced in two years time. The changes they are talking about by July 1st are quality assurance, such as a nation wide accreditation process for all centres (which I believe means C&K and other type kindergartens).
My centre is having a $3/day rise in the new year due to costs of everything going up, not due to ratios. Your centre should give you plenty of notice if they are increasing fees.

[Floweryfields]

i read the official ration used to be
one worker to 8 children
now the govt has changed that to
one worker to 5 children (based on reports by early childcare professionals)
(the finer detail is, is that for the baby;s rooms only, or other agegroups too?)
and the govt thinks it will push costs up by something minimally (to increase the ratios), but some of the centres disagree.

i haven't read this, but there may be something extra, like the workers needing to have an early childhood qualification - which means higher pay.
So i would imagine the centres with the most untrained staff would be having the most problems transitioning to the new rules.

i suspect each childcare centre will be affected differently, i'm asking ours today. They already have good ratios and mainly trained workers so i don't expect they'll have much to change.

I met one of the people reporting to the Govt on this issue at our CCC earlier year, they were just collecting data at the time.

In Qld the ratios are now:
1:4 babies
1:5 toddlers (up to 2.5years)
1:8 (up to 3 years)
1:12 (up to school age)

It will now be 1:4 for babies and toddlers up to 2.5
1:6 for up to 3 years
1:11 for up to school age

We had better ratios than other states to begin with. This info is straight from the govt.

And also what Snuggly said! Note to self, read all previous posts before answering! I do think the 50% staff holding diplomas is a great thing, cuts out those centres with lots of trainees and young staff, which in my experience, while cheaper, NOT better!

[Crystalwings]

FDC is going to a ratio of 1-4 in 2014 so it will affect them (and us) but not for a few more years.
The sad part about this is that while CC costs are set to go up, wages for early childhood profesionals are set to go down but thats a whole new thread.

[Indadhanu]

OH wow I thought it came in earlier than 2012!

[Floweryfields]

I guess when you think about it, it can't come in earlier than that as they will have to rewrite the childcare regs with all the new numbers and room configurations, etc in it and all the new qualification rules. Given it's a government agency doing it, it will probably take a long time and a pile of money, sigh.

[Indadhanu]

Ah yeah, that's unfortunately true!