Polykids - Fees

Section
Corporate
Approval Date
1 November 2018
Approved By
Chief Executive
Next Review
1 March 2020
Responsibility
Manager: Polykids Childcare Centre
Rationale

To ensure Polykids maintains a high quality, sustainable, centre for the care and education of children.

Policy

Deposit

  • $100 payable upon acceptance of a space at Polykids.
  • Credited to child’s fee account one month after the child starts at the centre.
  • Non-refundable if child does not start or withdraws within the initial one-month period.
  • In certain circumstances the Centre will consider reducing this fee.

 

Fees apply

  • All the weeks that Polykids is open during the year.
  • For all booked sessions regardless of attendance.
  • Up to a maximum of two days per calendar year when the centre is closed due to adverse weather conditions such as snow.
  • On booked times and times attended over and above booked times.
  • When notice of changes is not given (at discretion of the Centre)
  • Fees are not charged when the Centre is closed over Christmas and Easter or for statutory holidays.
  • If children are not picked up with 15 minutes of their booked time without notification from the parent, staff are to notify the parent/caregiver or emergency contact on the child’s enrolment form, and a charge of $10.00 per 15 minutes will be charged on top of the normal hourly rate.  Any late pick up before 15 minutes will be charged at normal hourly rate.
  • If children are not collected at the end of the day two staff will stay with the child/children until 6pm.  After this time, the police will be notified.

 

Minimum Enrolment

  • Two days per week and six hours per day.

 

Invoicing and Payment

  • Fees are invoiced weekly in advance.
  • Fees are GST inclusive.
  • Fees are payable within 7 days of invoice.
  • Payment by direct credit is preferred.
  • Payment by cash, EFTPOS or credit card can be made at Otago Polytechnic customer  services reception.
  • Parents/caregivers are wholly responsible for payment of fees, irrespective of any arrangement with any third party e.g., another adult, WINZ, ACC.
  • Two months’ notice will be given of any fee changes.

 

Late Payment Process

  • If an account becomes more than two weeks overdue, parents will be contacted requesting payment within 7 days.
  • If no payment is forthcoming, a second notification (email/letter) will be sent requesting immediate payment and advising that failure to make payment within 3 working days could result in parents being asked to withdraw their child/ren with no further notice. A late payment penalty will be applied to the overdue account.
  • If payment is still not made, parents will be rung and advised that their booking has been suspended and that there is no longer a place available for their child on the next day they are due/booked.
  • Should an account remain in arrears despite the above steps being taken, the booked times will, at the discretion of the Centre, be withdrawn and the enrolment cancelled.
  • Any account that remains in arrears, will be placed with the Otago Polytechnic Collection Unit and continued failure to pay may result in the debt being placed with an external debt collection agency.
  • All costs incurred through collection of overdue accounts is payable by the debtor.

 

Notice Periods/Retaining Fee

  • Two weeks’ notice in writing is required before changing any booked days/hours.
  • A retaining fee equivalent to 50% of the total booked hours is available for up to a maximum of three weeks at any one time when a child is withdrawn for a full week or more for a planned break.
  • Two weeks’ notice in writing (email preferred) of a planned break must be given to receive the retaining fee.
  • Children in breach of the Ministry of Education Frequent Absence Rules regarding attendance and funding, are not entitled to the retaining fee.

 

Absences

  • Caregivers will be notified if their child’s attendance is breaching the Ministry of Education Frequent Absence rules for funding and attendance.
  • Where a child is absent for more than two weeks without notification, parents will be given seven (7) days’ notice that the centre is cancelling their enrolment and booked hours.

 

20-hour ECE Scheme

  • Polykids is part of the Government 20-hour ECE scheme.
  • All children aged three and four are entitled to receive 20 hours early childhood education at no cost.
  • Hours attended above 20 hours will be charged at the current fee rate.
  • Polykids has an optional food charge for children using the 20 Hours ECE.
  • Parents that choose not to pay the optional food charge will be required to provide all meals and snacks for their child whilst booked at Polykids.
  • 20 Hours ECE funding will cease if absences exceed 3 consecutive weeks, at which point full fees will be charged at our current rate for all booked hours. 20 Hours ECE funding will resume when the child returns to the Centre.
  • 20 Hours ECE funding will be affected if children’s attendance breaches the Ministry of Education Frequent Absence Rules for a two-month period. (Not regularly attending booked hours or days.)
  • 20 Hours ECE funding unable to be claimed due to breaches of the Ministry of Education Frequent Absence Rules will be charged at our current hourly rate.

 

Withdrawals

  • Three weeks written notice (15 working days) is required when withdrawing your child from Polykids. The Centre reserves the right to charge for up to three weeks attendance when this notice is not given.

Please contact the Centre Manager or Operations Coordinator as soon as possible if you cannot meet your obligations under this Fees Policy. We are more than happy to discuss your situation.