MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
To all of our Hunny Pots families, we wish you a very special Christmas and a safe New Year.
We have had a very interesting, productive and enjoyable year. Each year it is always lovely to reflect on our procedures, feedback and challenges.
We thank you, our families for supporting our policies and procedures. For allowing us the opportunity to be a part of your child’s early education and care.
ENDING ENROLMENTS FOR 2018 & ENROLMENTS FOR 2019
We will be operating up to and including Friday 21st December. All current enrolments will be to this date.
Poohs Corner enrolments are finalized from the 21/12/18.
We return on Monday 7th January 2019. All existing enrolments will commence from the 7th January.
ABSENCES
Please let us know if you will be away in January.
Please send an email to info@hunnypots.com.au with the dates of absence.
Thank you
FUN ACTIVITIES END OF YEAR!
MONDAY 10TH DECEMBER – Sports fun! You can wear sports gear. Games to support all types of sports indoor and outdoor!
TUESDAY 11TH DECEMBER – Treasure hunt day – exploring the centre! Movie day- bring a pillow.
WEDNESDAY 12TH DECEMBER – Water day! Bring swimmers, rashie shirt, towel, dry clothes, water toys FOR ALL ROOMS!
THURSDAY 13TH DECEMBER – Bike and scooter day Tiggers and Poohs Corner children only. Park your bikes/scooters in the car park – must bring a helmet (NO HELMET NO RIDING) Car park will be closed from 10am.
Eeyores – Teddy Bears Picnic AND favourite book– bring your favourite Teddy Bear for fun and games and also your favourite book for storytime.
FRIDAY 14TH DECEMBER – Dress up in Christmas clothes/colours! We will have party games READY FOR OUR PARTY THIS AFTERNOON!
GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK
Goodbye to many families in Pooh’s Corner who have children going off to school next year!
We have had many families be a part of the centre for several years, as all of their children have gone through the centre. To those families who it is your last child leaving Hunny Pots, we wish you love, luck and happiness. Please come back and say hello – we always love to keep in touch!
To the children going to school in 2019 – we wish you the best of luck and we would love to see you in the New Year in your school uniform!
Poohs Corner enrolments are finalized from the 21/12/18.
Please provide the office with the nominated bank details to refund the bond in the New Year.
CHILDREN MOVING ROOMS
We have many children moving rooms next year! They have been participating in our orientation process to become aware of their new room and the routine. It would be great if you could talk at home about your child’s new room next year to help them understand the transition. All children move into their new rooms for the start of the New Year. Thank you.
STAFF FOR 2019
Eeyores- Miss Jess, Miss Kim, Miss Emma W, Miss Larissa, Miss Renee/Miss Amanda
Tiggers- Miss Jo, Miss Rupinder, Miss Emma G
Poohs Corner- Miss Allison, Miss Kayley, Miss Jane, Miss Rhiannon
Miss Emma C and Miss Elizabeth will assist all rooms.
Miss Maria will assist in the afternoons.
We welcome Miss Emma G and Miss Renee to our team. Miss Emma G will be our new certificate three trainee starting in January for a 12 month contract. Miss Renee is certificate three trained and will be starting a Diploma Traineeship in Eeyores. We hope you can help us welcome them.
Miss Sandy finishes with Hunny Pots on Wednesday 19th December to spend more time with her husband and travel. We wish Miss Sandy all the best and sincerely thank you for all her valuable support.
END OF YEAR PARTY
Our end of year party will be Friday 14th December – It is always a fun and enjoyable afternoon.
We look forward to seeing you there.
All children and families are invited regardless of their attendance days.
Friday children: MUST have parents with them by 6pm. The centre’s licence closes at 6pm.
Staff will supervise Friday children between 3.45-6pm.
Parents on the premises must take responsibility of children’s supervision and behaviour.
3.45pm – Eeyore’s Spot (0-3yrs) music and fun with family / craft
4.30pm – Tigger’s Place (3-4 yrs) performance
4.50pm – Pooh’s Corner (4-5yrs) performance
WET BAGS
Wet bags are available in the office for $10 cash. We have no more plastic bags in the centre.
Prevent wet clothing going into your child’s school bag – get a wet bag form the office or ask an educator. A great sustainable way to keep wet clothing separate.
RECEIVING FEEDBACK
As part of our reflective practices, Hunny Pots ELC always appreciates constructive feedback. Please send through an email telling us what you like seeing at Hunny Pots and if there are any areas we could work on. This helps us for our Quality Improvement Plan to always improve our service.
Centre Closure over the Christmas break – We will be operating up to and including Friday 21st December 2018. We will re open on Monday 7th January 2019.
The office will be closed for the 2 weeks – no emails or phone messages will be responded to until Monday 7th January during this closure time.
Please see below our Fees Policy
HUNNY POTS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
Fees Policy
Aim
In order for Hunny Pots Early Learning Centre to provide a high quality environment and an appropriate program for children we must remain financially viable, while ensuring child care fee levels are at an affordable level for families. We recognise that rising child care fees have created difficulties for many families, and we have developed our fee system to maximise all families access to subsidies. However it is imperative all families pay their child care fees, to ensure Hunny Pots ELC in return is able to continue providing child care to all families.
We aim to minimise the costs of administration, in particular the collection of child care fees, while ensuring families know what is expected of them, and know about the subsidies available to assist with fees. We ask that all families appreciate the importance of these procedures and contribute to the regular payment of fees without creating unnecessary work for staff in collecting outstanding fees.
ADMINISTRATION FEE:
On enrolment all new child care families will be required to pay an administration fee of $80 (non refundable) towards the cost of administration of the new enrolment to secure their child’s position. Only those families who have paid the fee, will be eligible to make a regular booking.
BOND:
To secure your position a bond payment must be made.
A bond payment is 2 weeks full fees.
This is security for the centre and will be used if fees lapse.
The bond will be refunded to you or used to pay your last bill upon 3 weeks notice.
INVOICING/PAYMENTS
At Hunny Pots ELC we have agreed to a direct debit process to enhance our administration time and avoiding overdue accounts. Direct debit saves time, is efficient and reduces late payment charges and awkward conversations about overdue bills. Fees must be paid for every day your child is enrolled, including public holidays and when your child is sick or on holidays. A full daily fee is charged regardless of the number of hours your child attends.
Parent Payments will be debited on a fortnightly basis. (Please see iPay documents within your enrolment pack.)
Fees are payable for 50 weeks of the year. Closure and non billing time is over the Christmas / New Year period.
All fees should be up to date by the end of the invoicing period (fortnightly). Should there be a failed Direct Debit transaction there will be a “Failed Transaction” fee applied to your account (Please see Direct Debit Processing document). A second attempt of a Direct Debit transaction will occur the next business day. If a second Direct Debit failure occurs your child’s position is in jeopardy.
Ongoing overdue accounts will result in your child’s position being terminated.
TERMINATION OR CHANGE OF ATTENDANCE:
Regular bookings may be changed or terminated with 3 weeks written notice. If you choose to reduce days of attendance 3 weeks notice must also be given in writing to the director.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
We charge for public holidays.
A make up day is offered to families in lieu of a public holiday when vacancies are available. A request from families for a make up day is to be made to management and days/date will be checked for availability. If a position for a make up day is not available we will place your child on our make up day waitlist.
If you book a make up day this is noted – cancellation of a make up day with less than 24hrs notice will be treated as a booking.
Families with outstanding accounts may not book make up days.
Make up days must be used in the calendar year. They do not accumulate.
CASUAL BOOKINGS:
The extra days shall be charged for at the same rate as the family’s regular care. The fee for additional days, which are cancelled with at least one day’s notice, may be waived at the Director’s discretion. Families with outstanding accounts may not book additional days. Extra day bookings can only be secured pending we have a position available.
FEE SUBSIDY ENTITLEMENTS:
Most families are entitled to the Child Care Subsidy provided through the Family Assistance Office. Please register with this department for your rebate and TO ENSURE YOU HAVE A CUSTOMER REFERENCE NUMBER (CRN). This is then entered in our software for the Government to know your child’s attendance and for you to claim the benefit and/ or rebate.
This is your responsibility to ensure your accounts are invoiced correctly.
Birth certificates and up to date immunisation status must be provided.
CHILD CARE USAGE STATEMENTS
Every three months we send electronically through our software HUBWORKS a child care usage statement. This monitors your child’s attendance and fee structure.
OVERDUE FEES
Any family who is one or more weeks late with their fees will received a Friendly Fee Reminder. Families can make appointments to speak with the approved provider or nominated supervisor regarding payments if there is a need to do so. Continually not paying fees will put your child/ren’s place/s in the Service in jeopardy.
LATE FEE
It is not acceptable that children are picked up late from the centre. The centre is able to open for specific periods as per our license from the State Government and approval from the Local Councils. Staff are employed to work those hours and have a right to finish work at the agreed time. Late shift staff delayed from finishing on time may suffer public transport delays etc and may have their own family commitments that need to be met.
Late fee: $20 after 6pm (any period of time 6pm to 6.15pm eg: you come at 6.05pm it will be $20) after 6.15pm it is $30 from 6.15pm-6.30pm and $2 per minute after 6.30pm. Eg: if you come at 6.20pm it will be a $50 late fee.
*** It is best to have nearby emergency contacts that can help you pick up your child if you are going to be late.
You must leave the centre prior to normal closing time (not arrive at the centre prior to normal closing time). If you are delayed beyond your normal booking you must ring the centre to notify staff so we can organise appropriate staffing to cope with the change. It is your responsibility as a parent to ensure your child is picked up on time. However we understand that a parent may be delayed and unable to be at the centre by closing time through circumstances beyond their control.
FEE INCREASES
We pride ourselves for keeping our fees affordable whilst maintaining quality care.
Shall any fee increase occur, we will provide a minimum one month notice to families of the increase.
Bond adjustments will need to be made to reflect the new fee/attendance pattern.
Sources
Bryant, L. (2009). Managing a Child Care Service : A Hands-On Guide for Service Providers. Sydney: Community Child Care Co-Operative.
Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care) Act 2009
Child care handbook 2018
Review
The policy will be reviewed annually.
Reviewed: December 2018 Date for next review: January 2020