Fees Policy – Child Care Services

STATEMENT

The Organisation is committed to:

• Providing responsible financial management, including establishing a fee structure that will result in a financially viable Service, while maintaining fees at an affordable level.
• Ensuring financial barriers are minimised for families wishing to access an early childhood program for their child/children.
• Maintaining confidentiality in relation to the financial circumstances of families/caregivers.
• Providing a fair and manageable system for dealing with non-payment and/or inability to pay fees/outstanding debts.

OBJECTIVES

This policy aims to:

• Provide clear guidelines for the setting, payment, and collection of fees.
• Ensure the viability of the Service by establishing and maintaining an appropriate and equitable fee structure.

IMPLEMENTATION

Fees and Charges
The Management Committee set fees and charges according to viability and affordability. Fees are reviewed annually and subject to change. Families are notified of any changes to fees and charges through direct correspondence, this includes being notified when this Policy is undergoing review.

Daily Session Fees
There is a range of Session fees outlined below:
1. 3-5 years
2. equity rate 3-5 years, for holders of a current low income health care card (copy must be supplied to the Service)
3. 2 years (ie. turning 3 years after 31st July)

Further information in relation to fees and charges is provided to families prior to enrolment. This information is contained in the Information Handbook and can also be accessed on the website https://www.gallopinggumnut.com.au/

Additional Fees and Charges

Families are required to complete an Online Enrolment Form via our Hubworks system. On acceptance of a place families are invoiced for the fees, outlined below. These fees must be paid prior to their child/ren commencing with the Service.

1. Enrolment fee (upfront fee)
   $50 for the first child and $30 for every subsequent child enrolled at the same time. A re-enrolment fee of $10 per child is charged annually at the beginning of each calendar year.
   PLEASE NOTE: These amounts include the purchase price of a Galloping Gumnut hat. $10.00 per child re-enrolment fee will be charged in subsequent years, unless a new hat is required.
2. Membership of Association Fee (upfront fee). As an Incorporated Association this is a legal requirement. $3.00 New Members. A renewal fee of $2.00 is then charged annually at the beginning of each calendar year.
3. Bond (upfront fee) $50 per child – refundable upon leaving the Service when the required 2 weeks’ notice has been given and all fees are up to date.
4. Materials Levy
   A fee of $10 for 1 day or $20 for 2 days is charged per child each Term to help with the costs of providing basic materials, for example paints, paper, paper towel, etc.

Discounts
Staff (permanent, contracted and casuals who work a regular weekly or fortnightly shift) and Management Committee members are provided with the following discounts. Discounts are applied four times a year, usually in line with the end of the Term school holiday period.
Permanent and Contracted Staff whose children are enrolled for Preschool Sessions will receive 10% off the daily fee. This appears on the account as ‘Discount Staff and Committee’.
Casual Staff who work a regular weekly or fortnightly shift whose children are enrolled for Preschool Sessions will receive 5% off the daily fee. This appears on the account as ‘Discount Staff and Committee’.
Management Committee Members whose children are enrolled for Preschool Sessions will receive 5% off the daily fee. This appears on the account as ‘Discount Staff and Committee’.
PLEASE NOTE: If fees are outstanding at the end of the period in which discounts are applied, the discount will be forfeited.

Invoices, Receipts and Statements

• All invoicing, receipting and provision of statements is done through the Organisation’s third-party software program ‘Hubworks’.
•  Invoices are sent out at the beginning of each Term.
• Invoices, receipts and statements are sent to the email address provided on the online enrolment form, listed under Parent 1.
• Invoices should be checked by parents/carers and any concerns or errors notified to the Directors or Assistant Director, either by email or phone (see contact details below).
• The preferred method of payment is by EFT into the Organisation’s bank account (details are on the Invoice) referencing your child’s name and stating that it is for Preschool.
• Families are encouraged to pay the full amount owing on their Invoice by the end of Week 4 of Term or arrange to pay weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. If this is the preferred method of payment it is recommended that families set up a Direct Debit weekly, fortnightly, or monthly.
• In Term 4, if your child will be ceasing their enrolment to start school, families are requested to pay all outstanding amounts by the end of November to enable the Finance Officer to reconcile accounts and refund Bonds.

Outstanding Fees

• Fees should always be kept up to date and paid in full by the end of Term.
• At the end of each month families will be issued Statements via Hubworks as a reminder of the amount outstanding on their child/ren’s account.
• A report will be generated at the end of each month. If a family has made no payments during this period, the family will be contacted via telephone or directly at the Service by the Responsible Person.
• Fees cannot be carried over to the following Term without approval/special consideration granted by the Director and a payment plan put in place.
• If at the end of each Term an account is in arrears, and a payment plan has not been put in place, a request for payment will be made in writing via email, text, or letter.
• If an account continues to be in arrears, and no payments are being made, one of the Directors or Assistant Director, will contact the family.

Financial Difficulties

If a family is experiencing financial difficulties, a payment plan will be negotiated for enrolment to continue.

Payment Plans
Payment Plans can be established under the authority of the Directors.
If a family’s account has become overdue one of the Directors will establish with the family an appropriate payment plan to repay the outstanding fees

• A regular payment amount will be required. Payments should be made weekly or fortnightly until the account is finalised.
• Failure to comply with the payment plan will result in the account being submitted to the Management Committee for instruction.

Once a family’s account has been submitted to the Management Committee for review, the family will be given two weeks’ notice to complete payment of all outstanding fees. If the family cannot comply with this request, the child’s place may be cancelled. Once a child’s place has been cancelled it will be given to the next eligible child on the waiting list.

The family will not be allowed to enrol any other children until all the outstanding accounts are paid in full. A child whose place has been cancelled may re-join the waiting list once payment of all outstanding fees has been received. However, this does not guarantee the child another place.

Bad Debts
The Organisation allows an amount, generally calculated at 5% of income, in the budget as a ‘bad debt expense’.
The Organisation recognises that there will be occasions when, despite all efforts, an account will remain in arrears. This may occur when a family leaves the Service and has an outstanding account. In this instance the Bond will be used to offset any amount owing and the balance will be written off as a bad debt. Bad debts to be written off will be presented at a Management Committee Meeting for approval.

Outside Hours Fees
Due to the nature of operating a mobile service, staff members have an allocated amount of time each day for travel and preparation of the classroom. Children being dropped off early and/or picked up late has an impact on staff time frames and can cause overtime costs.

If a child is at the Service outside of operating hours, and staff have not been advised of extenuating circumstances, the following fees may be applied to your Invoice:
$20.00 for the first 15 minutes and $20.00 for each additional 15 minutes or part thereof.