Change is needed - Real Mum story on MoM

19 Comments

So recently after 10 months without one, my husband got a job. As I work full time we got my 9 year old daughter into OSHC (which is surprisingly affordable) and my 16 month old son into Childcare.
I never thought of any issues last time we had my son in childcare as I had been on maternity leave and my husband was working, so by the time I was heading back to work I was still on the ass end of being paid from my workplace (my workplace is VERY generous for maternity leave, I was off for eight months).
This time around I forgot that childcare needs you to pay 2 weeks up front, which would not be a problem when my hubby starts to get paid from his new job, but is a problem now. We have hardly any money due to scraping by with a one income household. So when they asked for the two weeks up front, I could afford one, not two (as the Child care rebate has not come through yet I had to pay full price). Luckily they agreed to allow us to pay three weeks next fortnight. This incident got me thinking.
What happens to other families, what if a single parent was offered a job, tried to get the kid into childcare to be advised that the Child care rebate will take two weeks to come through and they have to pay two weeks of full price up front before they can take the kid. What happens to those who enrol in child care centres who are not as forgiving? Will the parent have to decline the job and then get penalised by Centrelink for turning a job down? It seems like a vicious circle, cannot get a job without childcare and cannot pay for childcare without a job. I myself was a single parent 8 years ago, if it wasn’t for my mother at the time, I never would have been able to accept a job.
I think someone needs to change this. I think maybe there should be a system that will pay the first two weeks of childcare for a single parent families or extremely low income families until they are getting paid. After all we have a bonds scheme in which people can apply to get the bonds for private rentals paid for them, why can’t we have this set up for childcare?

Posted by lepumpkinhead, 2nd July 2015

19 Comments

- - dbhall82 said
  - 25 Sep 2015
    4:35 pm
I never had to pay a few weeks upfront for my childcare

- - dannsbuild said
  - 07 Sep 2015
    1:23 am
I agree I think the whole system needs a realistic overhaul as well!

- - deborah_osborne said
  - 25 Aug 2015
    9:09 am
Seems Goverment don’t support families as they should ,they tell work safe & have children with no real support when it’s need ,today not weeks away .

- - lana banana said
  - 13 Aug 2015
    5:02 pm
Would desperately love to bring in a second income but financially would struggle more with day care costs. Impossible to get ahead on one wage

- - mom56312 said
  - 20 Jul 2015
    2:43 pm
I was lucky with my child care centre, as we already had been there with my oldest 2 kids, then when the third started and the oldest two left to go to kinder and school. we were able to continue paying weekly as they already had our rebate infomation. So they were able to continue to charge our credit card each week without issue. (which we pay off weekly). Its hard to scrape money up out of no where when you are struggling.

- - jenniw said
  - 12 Jul 2015
    8:45 pm
I am lucky that my parents had my children for part of the time i was working but I don’t recall having to pay for two weeks up front. Is that new or just at some centres?

- - pakeko said
  - 06 Jul 2015
    9:05 pm
I really dont know how some families do it, it is a hard cost

- - mom63229 said
  - 05 Jul 2015
    3:13 pm
This sadly, is my situation. If I wanted to get a job, my income would mostly go on childcare. Even with a rebate. Plus OSHC for 4 kids, would be insane!

- - MegMah88 said
  - 04 Jul 2015
    7:25 pm
to me it seems the person who is brining in the second income is usually just covering the child care costs. its a catch 22 situation sometimes and feels like working parents get punished for working, and having to pay a fortune in childcare fees.

- - Lillys-mummy said
  - 04 Jul 2015
    11:35 am
I agree 100%, I don’t know how some families do it. It would be great if there was a payment scheme for this.

- - Klsmith91 said
  - 03 Jul 2015
    12:11 am
I homesy don’t know how some families do it!

- - mom121707 said
  - 02 Jul 2015
    9:53 pm
I think you raise an excellent point. What about starting a petition on Change.Org?
- hopefullyheidi replied
  
  03 Jul 2015 , 3:51 pm
  I totally agree. After all it’s only fair. There are other things like returning to work credit etc through Centrelink, as far as I’m aware, so why shouldn’t there be something available for families and childcare?
- - mom93821 said
  - 02 Jul 2015
    8:56 pm
Often situations need to be negotiated and it is good that you have been able to do this with your provider.

- - mom94125 said
  - 02 Jul 2015
    8:36 pm
oh man i think the whole system needs a realistic overhaul.

- - mom141765 said
  - 02 Jul 2015
    5:24 pm
Good point. Child care in this country is pathetic. I can’t actually get a job because we can’t afford child care. By the time we pay for care and other work related costs the money i would get wouldn’t be worth it. I’m not spending 40 hours a week away from my kids for $100.
- mom94125 replied
  
  03 Jul 2015 , 10:39 am
  yes it is unrealistic sometimes
- - mum4107 said
  - 02 Jul 2015
    1:00 pm
The child cares in our area I have seen advertise that you get the rebate paid directly to the childcare facility so you are only paying the difference. That would make it easier

- - BellaB said
  - 02 Jul 2015
    9:44 am
I think most child care centres are pretty understanding about this particular dilemma. Or would take a credit card payment for those first couple of weeks so you can defer the initial payment.