Goodstart Early Learning now offers more flexible options to help families make the most of the Child Care Subsidy.
The 9 and 10 hour sessions, in addition to the ‘all day’ session, helps reduce the risk of families running out of subsided eligible hours and paying full fees.
Goodstart Early Learning Advocacy Manager John Cherry said the new flexible options were designed to better meet families’ needs and help minimise out-of-pocket costs.
“At Goodstart we know that one size doesn’t fit all families, and not all families need 12 hours of care a day. By offering these flexible options families can choose which session best suits them,” he said.
“The 9, 10 and ‘all day’ sessions mean families don’t have to risk exceeding their eligible subsidised hours. They can choose the session that helps them to get the most out of the Child Care Subsidy.”
“The benefits for children participating in a quality early learning program, like the ones delivered at Goodstart centres, are well documented. Our daily sessions, combined with the Child Care Subsidy will hopefully make early learning more accessible to more families and give more children a great start in life.”
Early learning centres that have structured programs designed to address key learning areas can help children reach their full potential – now and in the future.
For a closer look at how Goodstart’s flexible options could help your family, consider the following case studies.
The Sanchez family:- The Sanchez family requires child care five days a week (10 days a fortnight), as both parents work.
- They are eligible for 100 hours per fortnight of Child Care Subsidy, but their centre is open 12 hours a day, meaning their care requirements exceed their eligible hours by 20 hours per fortnight.
- The Sanchez family can minimise their costs at Goodstart by choosing a 9 or 10 hour session which means they do not exceed the number of child care hours they are eligible for.
- The parent that earns the least in the Healy family works 20 hours a week over four short days.
- Their centre is open for 11 hours per day.
- Through the new Child Care Subsidy, they are entitled to 72 hours of child care per fortnight (36 hours per week).
- Using the new sessions, they can book in four x 9 hour sessions a week - meaning they will not exceed their eligible hours of Child Care Subsidy.