KEY POINTS:
The Ministry of Education is telling preschools to consider raising their fees if Government funding for 20 hours' free childcare is not enough. The advice runs counter to the Government's own assurances in 2005 that fees for under-3s would not be affected by the policy and would be possibly controlled if there were unreasonable increases.
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Here is the latest selection of your views:
Chris Callander
As the owner of a small childcare service we have received some uninformed criticism over fees charged. Most of the costs associated with childcare are government driven through strict regulations and most centres are not there to make lots of money! Most small private centres are owned by teachers with a passion for children. If providing childcare was highly profitable then our free market would mean there would be many more service providers and there wouldnt be such a lack of supply!!! The free funding we have been told will not cover food (meals), extra activities, sunscreen, pullups, etc which in the view of the government are extras (that we presently provide.) When the government then tells us that we must lower our fees and accept what the government sees as an average level of funding to deliver a government promise we are left to either make a loss or find the money from somewhere else. How would you like it if the government came to your work place and set a price for your service that meant you didnt make a profit! Lay of the childcare centres - who are only the middle men.
Maryanne
As a mother who raised her children without all these free handouts Get over it. If you cannot afford childcare and work, then stay home! If you want a free morning to go shopping while the taxpayer pays for your childs childcare, then stay home. School starts at 5 years and if you want your child socialised at my expense, then get a job and pay for it yourself. It makes me angry to see women drop off their little ones so they can have some "me time". If you don't want to look after your children then do not have them!
Kanny Young
If the goverment is serious about free child care for working parents, then it should increase the tax rebate from a piddly $310 to at least 3 month of child care which could be up to $2,400. So all hard working parents can enjoy the benefit
Fiona Maccormack
I am soon to be a single mother and will have to return to work asap to support myself. I fail to understand why I should receive subsidised chldcare only when the child turns 3 before then its going to be a long hard road and especially if I have to pay more when it is under 3 to subsidise the subsidy when it turns 3. I could but wont choose to go on the DPB so I consider that I am saving the taxpayer/govt loads as it is without having childcare being priced so high it becomes uneconomic to work.
Lisa
Simple really why doesnt the government send the 20 hour subsidy direct to the parents a fixed amount per child per hour regardless of where you live. The difference is topped up by the parent - no effect on day care and the administration is between the parent and the government. So simple really. Some comments I have heard - why should I pay for somebody elses child through my taxes. A word to you who ends up paying for you when you are too old to earn $. Who pays for your healthcare, bus subsidies etc. Have an open mind. If we all took that attitude where would we be. Its life get over it.
Evan
The Govt and child care services need to be transparent of what their current funding is and what the Government is topping it up for the free hours. It is my understanding that Govt provides a 30 hour a week subsidy currently per child and the rates depend on the service type and the age of the child, plus the number of registered teachers it has. The 20 free is additional funding to this, the question does the additional funding meet the lost parents fees or are the Govt expecting childcare services to make up the short fall. It would be interesting as a parent to see the ECE current funding rates and how they have moved over the last five years, as the Govt keeps stating that they have increased total funding in ECE but have not shown the movement of funding to centres. Question I have has this improved quality (another Govt promise)? The service that my children uses is not sure yet it is going to provide 20 Hours free and is taking a wait and see approach.
Becky
I think this is absolutely disgusting. Childcare is so expensive already. I think that buy raising the prices this is just putting parents in the situation where they cannot even afford it, therefore their children will not get proper education and this is a big problem in NZ already. So many children out there do not get the proper care they need because of expensive health care and now childcare increases. I thought childcare was about helping children, not helping the institution they are being taught in? I think everybody needs to take a step back and think about what the real priority is here, the children!
Bev
In regards to the story on Childcare funding, this will not make it better for the parents - it is just helping the daycare make more money. I have just been told that they will be giving both my children the funding for 20 hrs as they are three / four, however they are putting the fees up now on all age groups by $15-20 per week. Currently I pay $175 for each child for 40hrs care, so you would think if I was getting the 20hrs free it should be taken down to 87.50 ea per week! However they are putting fees up next month to $200 per week and then subsequently when the funding comes in. They have already decided that on top of the funded 20hrs the extra top up for 40 hr full time care will be $110.00 per week so with the Govt funding no doubt at $10.6 per hr for 20hrs the daycare will in total receive $322 per child per week. Who is better off now by $147 per child per week Me or The centres? Personally, I find it disgusting. The other thing is they are only allowing full time enrolments so no one will actually get 20 hrs free and thats it. We will be forced to take full time care and pay the top up even if you only want 20hrs per week.
Stuart Davison
The Government has stated previously that they do not want privately owned ECE centres. The free ECE rates that they have announced are based on the COST of running an ECE centre i.e. they will provide enough funding to cover costs and thats it. Most privately owned centres will struggle to make a profit if they provide the 20 free hours and so will boycott the scheme. At some point I believe the government will make the scheme compulsory at which point many owners will choose to get out of the industry, which will community or state owned centres to fill the void.
Dean Hunt
My wife and I have an 18 month old child in day care currently. This has allowed my wife to return to work, contributing to our family income and the countries GDP. We receive no assistance from goverment to cover any of our day care costs. Should we be required to pay more for the service we receive currently (to subsidise a government scheme or not), the economics of the whole thing would likely force my wife, out of the work force altogether. Any such policy would only seem to punish those who choose to work hard and contribute.
Grant Diggle
So the government is finally owning up to the myth that so-called free doesnt mean someone doesnt pay . The poor over burdened taxpayer pays. And those dumb citizens who whine on about what the government should pay for need to get it into their thick heads that there is no such thing as a free lunch.And that when the governemnt gets involved you can kiss goodbye to at least 50 cents in every initall dollar because thats the minimum they will waste on administration. They cant help themselves.
Carolyn Dent
This is typical of this government. Take from one group to benefit another. It has been going on for years in different forms, guises and taxes. I, for one, am heartily sick of it and just wish that the people of NZ would have a little pride, show that they all do not want handouts, say no. We are all being led by the nose by someone who wants to stay in power. She will achieve this by continuing to play the people. I raised my family in the 70s and got no freebies but now find as a widowed worker that I am continually being taxed in some way shape or form to help support the next generations.
