Faqs

A: To ensure that we can provide the community with quality child care we guarantee that our fees stay at a low price of $75 per day.

On your first week, your account will show the current week plus two weeks in advance. Following payment of this account, your weekly account will be sent via email to your elected address. Fees are to be made a minimum of two weeks in advance.

At the commencement of care children will receive a kindy hat, shirt & sheets for an initial fee of $30, families will be required to pay an annual $5.00 Membership Fee upon enrolment and the beginning of each calendar year. The children's sheet will be kept at the centre and cleaned weekly with their kindy hats.

A: There are two main subsidies offered by the Australian Government for which you may be eligible. These are the Child Care Rebate (CCR) and the Child Care Benefit (CCB) The Family Assistance Office is responsible for decisions about the amount of care for which CCR and CCB can be paid. Please call the Family Assistance Office on 13 61 50 to discuss your circumstances and entitlements when starting Child Care.

A: Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Child Care fee assistance

JET Child Care fee assistance provides extra help if you are a parent on an income support payment and looking for work, studying or starting a job. Access to JET Child Care fee assistance is time-limited depending on the study, training or employment activity that an eligible parent undertakes.

A: For further information on your eligibility for CCB, CCR and JET Child Care fee assistance please contact the Australian Government Department of Human services:
◾access Online Services at www.humanservices.gov.au/onlineservices
◾call 13 61 50 between 8 am and 8 pm (local time) Monday to Friday
◾visit a Service Centre (located in Medicare Offices, and Centrelink Service Centres).

Useful resources

For news and information on child care visit the mychild website available at www.mychild.gov.au

Access the Child Care Estimator at www.humanservices.gov.au/estimators

Family Assistance payment rates fact sheet, available at www.humanservices.gov.au

If you need to, you can also call:

◾Teletypewriter (TTY) 1800 810 586 (if you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment). You need a TTY phone to use this service.
◾13 12 02 if you need information in a language other than English.

Lower fees for Health Care Card holders

If you, your child or foster child are Health Care Card holders or Australian Government Pension Concession card holders, you should ask your provider if they can claim our subsidy to reduce your kindergarten program fees.

You will need to show the provider your card and they will keep a copy.

Information about eligibility for concession and Health Care Cards is available on Centrelink’s website.

Lower fees for triplets or more

If you have kindy-aged, multiple-birth children of triplets or more, you are eligible for the same reduced costs as Health Care Card holders. You will need to show your service provider proof of your children’s birth date.

A: At Musgrave Hill Community we pride ourselves on having high quality educators. All of our Senior Educators have their Advanced or Diploma of Children’s Services. We have our educators with their Certificate 3 in Children’s Services now enrolled in their Diploma of Children’s Services. All educators hold a current First Aid Certificate and Blue Card.

A: At Musgrave Hill Community we provide your child with Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea made fresh each day by a qualified cook. We also supply milk and water for all meal times. Each day we cover the recommended percentage of your child’s daily dietary intake. We will take into consideration all children’s individual requirements relating to allergies or intolerances, and value the children’s home and cultural backgrounds and reflect this in our menu planning and activities. We will ensure that a nutritious diet will be provided each day from a variety of foods.

A: Normal fees will apply when your booked day falls on a public holiday or absence due to holidays or illness. Musgrave Hill Community is a non-profit centre and we still need to charge to cover operational costs.

Fees will not be charged over the Christmas Closure period.

A: We do not have a minimum booking in the Nursery, Toddlers or Junior Kindy rooms.

However, there is a 2 day minimum in our Kindergarten Room to ensure that your child receives adequate preparation for schooling.

A: We request that you keep your child home if they are ill. This helps reduce the risk to other children and educators. If your child becomes ill during their day at the centre, we will ring the family contact numbers on the enrolment form. Please ensure that all current contact numbers are correct to avoid any delay.

A: At Musgrave Hill Community we work as a team and our educators are familiar with all children and families at our Centre. When a staff member is away we have a number of educators who work part-time to take on the additional days/hours wherever possible. This provides continuity for the children and families.

A: The Australian Government and state and territory governments’ recognise the importance of increasing their focus on the early years to ensure the wellbeing of children throughout their lives and to lift the productivity of our nation as whole. The drive for change is based on clear evidence that the early years of children’s lives are very important for their present and future health, development and wellbeing.

A: The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) describes the principles, practices and outcomes essential to young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. It’s part of the Australian Government’s National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care.

The framework has a strong emphasis on play-based learning, recognising the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development. There are five learning outcomes defined by the EYLF:

◾Children have a strong sense of identity.
◾Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
◾Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.
◾Children are confident and involved learners.
◾Children are effective communicators.

A: Play is the way in which children learn. They learn most effectively when they are relaxed and having fun. Children’s learning becomes meaningful when they are free to learn at their own rate and in their own way. It has previously been thought that teaching children earlier is better; that teacher directed work is the most efficient way for children to learn and play has little value. Research shows us that a work-oriented, rigid approach to learning is not likely to help children develop a love of learning or provide the skills and attitude they need to be life-long learners.