Purpose

Baulkham Hills Early Learning Centre strives to provide high quality early education and care for children, and we need to ensure we are financially viable at all times. Our service’s financial health and access to our service will be maximised by ensuring families are aware of all fees and fee payment requirements upon enrolment. This policy explains process of fee payment and the necessity of ensuring children’s fees are paid on time and consequences for failure to pay fees on time.

Current service fees, as of 6.1.2025

0-2s = $176 per day

2-3s = $176 per day

3-4s = $166 per day

4-5s = $166 per day

Our service is offering a reduced holiday rate of $130 per day, more information below.

NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)

QUALITY AREA 7:  GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP

National Regulations

Responsibilities for the Approved Provider

The Approved Provider of an education and care service must –

• Ensuring the service operates in line with the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations 2011.

• Reviewing the current budget to determine fee income requirements.

• Developing a fee policy that balances parents/guardian’s capacity to pay, with providing a high-quality program and maintaining service viability.

• Considering any issues regarding fees that may be a barrier to families enrolling at the service and removing those barriers wherever possible.

• Ensuring that the Fees Policy is readily accessible at the service.

• Notifying parents/guardians within 14 days of any proposed changes to the fees charged or the way in which the fees are collected.

Responsibilities of the Nominated Supervisor

 The Nominated Supervisor of an education and care service must –

• Provide access to parents/guardians; fees, balances & statement of fees and charges (through Hubworks).

• Collecting all relevant information and maintaining relevant documents regarding those with entitlement to concession, where applicable.

• Notifying parents/guardians within 14 days of any proposed changes to the fees charged or the way in which the fees are collected.

Responsibilities of the Educators

The Educators of an education and care service must –

• Referring parent/guardians’’ questions in relation to this policy to the Approved Provider or Nominated supervisors. 

  
  

Responsibilities of the Family/Guardian

The Family/Guardians of an education and care service must –

• Reading this policy and referring any questions, queries or concerns to the nominated supervisor.

• Obtain a Customer Reference Number from Centrelink as soon as practical before or after enrolment at the service.

• Record the arrival and departure times of child/children by using the ESI (electronic sign in)

• Provide documentation for additional absence days as required.

• Provide 2 weeks’ notice of withdrawal from service. If child does not care for their last day Centrelink will revoke CCS and full fees will be chargeable.

• Notifying the Approved Provider if experiencing difficulties with the payment of fees, and work together to find an agreement towards paying owing fees.

Fee Payable/Accounts

• The Approved Provider will determine the required fee level to meet budget prediction for the year.

• The fee schedule and fees payment policy will be fully explained to families during the enrolment process.

• Fees payable will be based on daily amounts.

• Families will be given minimum of 14 days’ notice of any fee increase.

• The same fee will be charged to all families for equivalent care arrangements.

• Provide access to parents/guardians information regarding; fees, balances & statement of fees and charges (through Hubworks). This is in accordance with Australian Government Guidelines, will be provided for each payment.

• Families are required to pay fees as normal for leave or holidays. If the child’s holiday exceeds 3 scheduled days (regardless of days per week), or longer, their entire leave of absence will be charged at the subsidised holiday rate. Any holiday 2 weeks or less will be charged at normal fees.

• Families are required to pay fees on public holidays if the holiday falls on their regular booked day, however the service will provide the subsidised holiday rate to public holidays.

• Fees are charged for full sessions only (regardless of the actual attendance hours any day) and our service charges for 11 hour sessions per day.

• Casual days may be offered to families based on service license and availability, and will be charged at the usual daily rate, with CCS being applied automatically.

• Families should contact the service to advise of their child’s inability to attend as soon as this is known. Fees will still be required on days the child would normally attend.

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and the Child Care Management System (CCMS)

• Our service will comply with the Australian Government requirements to be an approved education and care service for the purposes of Child Care Subsidy (CCS). The online Child Care Management System (CCMS) reporting requirements and any other requirements for claiming and administering CCS will be maintained by the service.

• It is the enrolling parent/guardian’s responsibility to complete and lodge their CCS applications with Centrelink, and to confirm their child’s enrolment. They are also required to login to Hubworks to verify the Complying Written Arrangement (CWA).

• Child Care Subsidy will be provided directly to the Service and this amount deducted from the parent/family account      

• Basic requirements that must be satisfied for an individual to be eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy parents must:

  • care for their child at least 2 nights per fortnight or have 14% share of care

  • be liable for child care fees at an approved early childhood education care service

  • meet residency requirements

    
    

  • The child must:

    • be 13 or under

    • not attending secondary school (unless an exemption applies)

    • meet immunisation requirements

    • Childcare must be provided by an approved provider

    • Families level of Child Care Subsidy will be determined by:

    • family income estimate

    • activity level  

    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children 

    • number of children in care

    • type of early learning and childcare Service

• Any changes in a family financial circumstance may result in cancellation of CCS. It is the family’s responsibility to contact the Centrelink office if they wish to dispute this or discuss it further.

• Families will only be eligible for CCS if childcare attendance records are accurately completed and signed by the parent/guardian or other responsible adult, and other eligibility requirements are met.

• Families are entitled to 42 absence days for each registered child in each financial year. CCS is paid for these days provided that the child would normally attend on that day, and fees have been charged.

• Additional absence can be claimed when the first 42 days have been used. Supporting documentation may be required for approval of additional absences.

• All documentation pertaining to CCS will be kept for the specified period of time and made available to Australian Government Officers on request.

Payment of Fees

• Fees are payable from the agreed commencement date and must be paid two weeks in advance.

• Fees may only be paid by electronic funds transfer by direct deposit (Direct Debit through Hubworks).

• A dishonour fee will apply for direct debit transactions where there are insufficient funds to cover the fees

Overdue Fees

• Parents/guardian with overdue fees will be encouraged by the Nominated Supervisor to discuss any difficulties they may have in meeting payments and make suitable arrangements to pay, including the option of a payment plan.

• If this is not done, or the agreed arrangements are not kept, the matter may be referred to a debt collector and/or cancellation of the child’s booking may occur.

Late Collection charge

• Our service reserves the right to implement a late collection charge when parents/guardians have not collected their child/ren from the service before closing time. This charge will be set at a rate determined by the Service Management and based on the service’s need to recoup expended incurred in employee overtime wages. Currently it is $5 per every minute after 6pm. Supervisor will hold the phone and use the time from that which is most accurate.

Termination of enrolment

• Parents/guardians are to provide two weeks written notice of their intention to withdraw a child from the centre Service.

• If termination from the Service is required without notification, families may lose their Child Care Subsidy, resulting in the payment of requirement for full fees to be charged.

• In some circumstances CCS may not be paid for sessions if the child has not physically started care.

• Additionally, CCS may not be paid for absences submitted after a child’s last physical day of care, unless conditions have been met as specified by Family Assistance Law.

• Management will wait 2 weeks after child’s last day before returning security bond paid on enrolment to family. This will be refunded either to the bank account provided in their Hubworks enrolment form, or to one provided by the family in their exit notification.

Staff Discounts

• Our service provides staff discounts for children that attend our service, after CCS has been applied. This applies to all educators, cooks, early childhood teachers, and directors – if they hold an early childhood qualification.

• Staff to receive at least 50% discount on their child’s fees, although may differ on an individual circumstance, and will be a confidential decision between management and staff member. Each staff member’s contract will confirm staff discount.

Definitions, Terms & Abbreviations

Sources

• Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2014).

• Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2023). Guide to the National Quality Framework.

• Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2021). Policy and procedure guidelines. Payment of Service Fees and Provision of a Statement of Fees Charged by the Service.

• Australian Government Department of Education Child care discount for early childhood workforce https://www.education.gov.au/child-care-package/early-childhood-workforce/child-care-discount-early-childhood-workforce

• Australian Government Department of Education Child Care Provider Handbook

• https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/resources/child-care-provider-handbook 

• Australian Government Department of Education Early Childhood and Care  https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood

• Australian Government Department of Education (2024). Help in an emergency

• Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010. (Amended 2023).

• Education and Care Services National Regulations. (Amended 2023).    

• Western Australian Education and Care Services National Regulations 

Related Statutory Obligations & Considerations

• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

• CCB Information

• Education and Care Services National Law 2010

• Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

• Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), as amended 2011

Related Telephone Numbers

• Early Childhood Education and Care Directorate 1800-619-113

Amendment History

This policy will be updated to ensure compliance with all relevant legal requirements every year. Appropriate consultation of all stakeholders (including staff and families) will be conducted on a timely basis. In accordance with Regulation 172 of the Education and Care Services National Regulation, families of children enrolled will be notified at least 14 days and their input considered prior to any amendment of policies and procedures that have any impact on their children or family.

Date:

03.01.2025

Version:

4

Last amended by:

Laura Clarke

Next Review:

03.01.2026

Position:

Nominated Supervisor