Child Care
In Australia, child care is available for children up until they start school (usually at the age of five). Children between the age of four and five are entitled to attend kindergarten but only for the equivalent of two days per week. If you have a four-year-old child, you may choose to use a combination of child care and kindergarten.
Choosing the right child care option for your child is an important decision. Once you have arrived in Adelaide, visit the International Student Centre (ISC) to collect a copy of our International Students Family Handbook. You can also download the booklet from the Family section of this web site. This booklet will give you some helpful tips to consider when seeking quality care and education for young children.
Child Care Options
Child Care Centres, often referred to as 'long day care', have qualified staff that provide educational programs. Childcare centres generally cater for the needs of children between three months and six years, although most children in South Australia start school at five years of age. Quality childcare services are available at the University of Adelaide's North Terrace, Roseworthy and Waite campuses, and at many childcare centres throughout Adelaide.
Fees vary from centre to centre and are approximately between $300 - $400 per week for full-time care and $70-80 per day. Child Care centres are listed in the White Pages Directory under “Child care” and include both Community and private child care centres.
Family Day Care is care provided in a private home with a carer registered with the Department of Education and Childrens' Services (DECS) in South Australia. DECS administers the Family Day Care program and recruits and trains carers. Family Day Care hours are often flexible and may cover all day Monday to Friday, before and after school hours and weekends or evenings by negotiation. The cost of Family Day Care is negotiated directly with the care provider.
Private Nannies generally come to your home and can be the most expensive form of care at approximately AUD $15-20 per hour. Qualifications can vary. You will find individuals advertising in the local newspaper or you can arrange a nanny through a private agency.
Financial Assistance for Child Care
Most international students will find child care quite expensive and many will have to rely on personal savings to cover the costs. If you are sponsored by your home government or employer you may wish to check directly with your sponsor as to whether any financial assistance is available to you to cover the cost of approved or registered child care. Most sponsored and private fee paying students are solely responsible for the cost of child care, with the exception of those students who receive an Australian Commonwealth Government Scholarship. Students who are recipients of Australian Commonwealth Government Scholarships may be eligible for some government subsidy through the Child Care Benefit (CCB). At present, these include AusAID, IPRS and Endeavour students. Please see the ISC's International Students Family Handbook for more information.
Useful resources include:
http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/childcare_benefit.htm
http://www.familyassist.gov.au/payments/family-assistance-payments/child-care-rebate.php
Kindergarten
Kindergartens are sometimes called pre-schools, child parent centres, or children's service centres. Children usually start kindergarten at the beginning of the term following their fourth birthday. Kindergarten is similiar to child care but has a much stronger focus on preparing children for school. Some kindergartens are linked to their local school and offer activities which assist children in their transition to that particular school. Children do not have to go to kindergarten, and can remain at their childcare centre. However, kindergarten will assist them in their transition to school.
International student tuition fees do not apply to kindergartens. However, all parents are required to pay a small materials fee each term (approximately AUD $45-60 per term). Some centres have an exclusive fee, whereby term fees are set at a higher rate to cover the costs of excursions and other events.
You can find kindergartens listed in the White Pages Telephone Directory. Alternately, you can access information about local kindergartens from your local council or the DECS office in your local area. For an online directory of kindergartens, visit the eChildcare and SA Central Early Learning web site.
