The fee structure for the Brooklyn Early Childhood Centre is set out below, along with terms and conditions that apply to all families.
Children attend two or three sessions per week, each of which are six hours long. All fees are GST exclusive.
Fees at the Brooklyn Early Childhood Centre (BECC) increase from 1 April 2011. These are the result of two key changes to the Ministry of Education funding of early childhood centres:
- Removal of the top funding bracket and reduction in funding levels the second bracket
- Removal of government funding for provisional teacher registration.
These changes mean the funding received by the centre has significantly reduced. As well as fee increases from 1 April 2011, the Centre will now remain open at mid-term. The Committee looked into ways of avoiding or reducing fee increases, but unfortunately a fee increase is essential for the centre to remain financially viable.
Children under 3 years old
Each six hour session costs $36.90 (which works out at $6.15 per hour). A building levy of $3 per session is included on the invoice for each child.
Example: Rosetta attends two sessions a week. Her family pay $73.80 in fees (2 sessions @ $36.90 per session), $6 for building levy, plus GST of $11.07. The total is $90.87 for this particular week.
Children aged 3 or 4 years old
BECC offers a maximum of 20 hours free ECE to three and four year old children. To ensure the ongoing financial viability of the centre, parents and whanau make an additional contribution to the Centre’s costs. This donation is set at $1.92 per hour. As this is a donation, you can claim a tax rebate for this.
Parents will be asked to fill in the paperwork for free ECE by teaching staff just before your child turns three.
A building levy of $3 per session is also included on the invoice for each child.
Example: Rewi attends three sessions a week and eligible for a full 18 hours free ECE. His whanau pay $34.56 in donations (18 hours @ $1.92 per hour) and $9 for the building levy (3 sessions @ $3 per session). This total is $45.56 for this particular week.
Building levy
Even with a significant fundraising effort, the full cost of the renovations were not accumulated before building works were started. A loan from a commercial bank has been secured to pay for the balance of costs outstanding. Find out more about the building renovations.
To meet the costs of renovating the Centre all families and whanau are asked to pay a building levy of $3 per session for each child. As this is a donation, you can claim a tax rebate.
Tax rebates
For all donations to the centre (as with any other charitable organisation for that matter), you are entitled to claim a third of the amount back as a tax credit. This is done each year through IRD.
A receipt for your family’s donations and childcare payments over each financial year is provided soon after the end of the tax year on 31 March.
Terms and conditions
The following terms and conditions are there make it fair for families and ensure the Centre remains financially viable:
- Centre fees are payable as soon as your child starts, including when children are absent from Centre either sick or holiday.
- Fees are not payable when Centre is closed, however are payable when a parent stays at the centre for parent help or settling.
- We have a late pick up fee if child is constantly being picked up late. (Refer to fees policy).
- Fees are payable monthly for the whole amount. You will receive an invoice at the beginning of each month in your pocket with payment preferable made before the 20th of the month.
- Each month will vary depending on the number of days in the month.
- We prefer online banking or cheques but would rather not have cash for safety reasons. Receipts will be issued if requested.
- If you have problems paying fees please talk to the Manager or Financial Administrator, we will try our best to meet your needs.
- The Manager and Committee have the right to ask that the child does not attend if overdue fees have not been paid. A letter will be written with the amount owing and the date required. We also reserve the right to use a debt collection agency if still not paid by required date. Parents are to cover the cost of the agency fees.
- A months notice is require if you intend to withdraw your child from the Centre, if no notice is given we will charge for 4 weeks from the last day of attendance. We ask that all fees are paid up on the last day of attendance.
- Childcare subsidies are available from Work and Income NZ for some families. For more information please talk to the Supervisor or contact WINZ. Full fees are required until written confirmation of the subsidy is received from WINZ.
