CHERRY CRESCENT PRE-SCHOOl FEES POLICY

Mandatory – Quality Area 7

Purpose

This policy will provide clear guidelines for:

the setting, payment and collection of fees
ensuring the viability of Cherry Crescent Preschool,by setting appropriate fees and charges
the equitable and non-discriminatory application of fees across the programs provided by Cherry Crescent Preschool.

Policy statement

1. Values

Cherry Crescent Preschoolis committed to:

providing responsible financial management of the service, including establishing fees that will result in a financially viable service, while keeping user fees at the lowest possible level
providing a fair and manageable system for dealing with non-payment and/or inability to pay fees/outstanding debts
ensuring there are no financial barriers for families wishing to access an early childhood program for their child/children
maintaining confidentiality in relation to the financial circumstances of parents/guardians
advising users of the service about program funding, including government support and fees to be paid by parents/guardians
providing equitable access for families eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy.

2. Scope

This policy applies to the Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, Certified Supervisor, educators and parents/guardians with an enrolled child, or who wish to enrol a child at Cherry Crescent Preschool.

3. Background and legislation

Background

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) provides per capita funding as a contribution towards the costs of the four-year-old kindergarten program. Income from other sources, primarily fees, is required to meet all the additional costs incurred by the service in the delivery of the children’s program. In addition, the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (refer to Definitions) enables eligible families to attend the four-year-old kindergarten program at minimal or no cost.

DEECD also funds eligible three-year-old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and children known to Child Protection, to access kindergarten programs as outlined in The Kindergarten Guide (refer to Sources).

DEECD requires that funded services have a comprehensive written fees policy in place, and the content of this policy must be communicated to families. The policy must include a written statement about the fees to be charged, as required under Regulation 168(2)(n), and the payment process. All families must be informed of applicable term and annual fees at the time of enrolment. Services must also advise eligible families of the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy arrangements. The fees charged must comply with the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy – Fees Policy (refer to Definitions), and be responsive to the local community and the viability of the service. The Kindergarten Guide (refer to Sources) outlines the criteria to be covered in the policy.

Legislation and standards

Relevant legislation and standards include but are not limited to:

Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities 2006 (Vic)
Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic)
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011: Regulation 168(2)(n)
Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic)
National Quality Standard, Quality Area 7: Leadership and Service Management

- Standard 7.3: Administrative systems enable the effective management of a quality service

4. Definitions

The terms defined in this section relate specifically to this policy. For commonly used terms e.g. Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, Regulatory Authority etc. refer to the General Definitions section of this manual.

Approved care: Care given by a service provider that has been approved by the Family Assistance Office to receive Child Care Benefit payments on behalf of eligible families. Most long day care, family day care, before-and-after school care, vacation care, some occasional care and some in-home care childcare services are approved providers. Details are available at: www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/child-care-benefit

Child Care Benefit (CCB): A Commonwealth Government payment to help families who use either approved or registered childcare services. All eligible families can receive some Child Care Benefit. Details are available at: www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/child-care-benefit

Early Start Kindergarten: A funding program that enables three-year-old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and children known to Child Protection to attend a kindergarten program that is planned and delivered by an early childhood teacher for a specific number of hours. Details are available at: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/learningdev/Pages/default.aspx

Enrolment application fee: A payment to cover administrative costs associated with the processing of a child’s enrolment application for a place in a program at the service.

Excursion/service event charge: An additional charge required to meet the cost of special events or excursions that occur in response to emerging children’s program needs. Events that are planned ahead and are included as an expenditure item in the service’s budget do not incur this additional charge (refer to Excursions and Service Events Policy).

Fees: A charge for a place within a program at the service.

Health Care Card: A Commonwealth Government entitlement providing concessions for low-income earners and other eligible people. Details are available at: www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/health-care-card

Kindergarten fee deposit: A charge to secure a place that has been offered in a program at the service. This is deducted from term fees.

Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (KFS): A state government subsidy paid directly to the funded service to enable eligible families to attend a funded kindergarten program at no cost (or minimal cost) to promote participation. Details, eligibility requirements and a calculator, are available in The Kindergarten Guide (refer to Sources).

Kindergarten Fee Subsidy – Fees Policy: Provides operational guidelines for services administering the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy and can be found in The Kindergarten Guide (refer to Sources).

Late collection charge: A charge that may be imposed by the Approved Provider when parents/guardians are late to collect their child/children from the program (refer to Attachment 1 – Fee information for families).

Registered care: Care provided by nannies, grandparents, relatives or friends, individuals working within kindergartens, occasional care services and outside school hours care services that are registered with the Family Assistance Office. Eligible families can receive some reimbursement of costs when using a registered care provider. Details are available at: www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/child-care-benefit

Voluntary parent/guardian contribution: A voluntary payment for items not directly related to the provision of the children’s program. Attendance at the service is not conditional on this payment.

5. Sources and related policies

Sources

The Kindergarten Guide (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is available under early childhood / service providers on the DEECD website: www.education.vic.gov.au
The constitution of Cherry Crescent Preschool
Complaints and Grievances Policy
Delivery and Collection of Children Policy
Enrolment and Orientation Policy
Excursions and Service Events Policy
Inclusion and Equity Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
reviewing the current budget to determine fee income requirements
developing a fee policy that balances the parent’s/guardian’s capacity to pay, with providing a high-quality program and maintaining service viability
implementing and reviewing this policy in consultation with parents/guardians, the Nominated Supervisor and staff, and in line with the requirements of DEECD’s The Kindergarten Guide (refer to Sources)
ensuring that this policy is based on the principles of the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy – Fees Policy (refer to Definitions)
considering any issues regarding fees that may be a barrier to families enrolling at Cherry Crescent Preschooland removing those barriers wherever possible
reviewing the number of families experiencing financial hardship and the effectiveness of the procedures for late payment and support offered
considering options for payment when affordability is an issue for families
clearly communicating this policy and payment options to families in a culturally-sensitive way, and in the family’s first language where possible
providing all parents/guardians with a copy of the document containing fee information for families (refer to Attachment 1)
providing all parents/guardians with a statement of fees and charges(refer to samples in Attachments 2 and 3) upon enrolment of their child, and ensure that the Fees Policy is readily accessible at the service (Regulation 171)
providing all parents/guardians with a fee payment agreement (refer to samples in Attachments 3 and 4)
collecting and receipting all fees
collecting all relevant information and maintaining relevant documentation regarding those with entitlement to concessions, where applicable
complying with the service’s Privacy and Confidentiality Policy regarding financial and other information received, including in relation to the payment/non-payment of fees
notifying parents/guardians within 14 days of any proposed changes to the fees charged or the way in which the fees are collected (Regulation 172(2))
ensuring a notice outlining fees charged by the service is displayed prominently in the main entrance to Cherry Crescent Preschool.
assisting the Approved Provider in developing this policy, and ensuring that this policy is based on the principles of the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy – Fees Policy (refer to Definitions)
implementing and reviewing this policy, in consultation with parents/guardians, the Approved Provider and staff, and in line with the requirements of DEECD’s The Kindergarten Guide (refer to Sources)
considering any issues regarding fees that may be a barrier to families enrolling at Cherry Crescent Preschool and removing those barriers wherever possible
considering options for payment when affordability is an issue for families
communicating this policy and payment options to families in a culturally-sensitive way and in the family’s first language where possible
providing all parents/guardians with a copy of the document containing fee information for families (refer to Attachment 1)
providing all parents/guardians with a statement of fees and charges (refer to samples in Attachments 2 and 3) upon enrolment of their child, and ensure that the Fees Policy is readily accessible at the service
providing all parents/guardians with a fee payment agreement (refer to samples in Attachments 3 and 4)
collecting all relevant information and maintaining relevant documents regarding those with entitlement to concessions, where applicable
complying with the service’s Privacy and Confidentiality Policy regarding financial and other information received, including in relation to the payment/non-payment of fees
notifying parents/guardians within 14 days of any proposed changes to the fees charged or the way in which the fees are collected
ensuring a notice outlining fees charged by the service is displayed prominently in the main entrance to Cherry Crescent Preschool.
informing the Approved Provider of any complaints or concerns that have been raised regarding fees at the service
referring parents’/guardians’ questions in relation to this policy to the Approved Provider
assisting the Approved Provider,as required, in sighting supporting documentation for access to the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy.
reading the Cherry Crescent Preschool Fee information for families (refer to Attachment 1), the Fee Payment Agreement (refer to Attachments 4 and 5) and the Statement of Fees and Charges (refer to Attachments 2 and 3)
signing and complying with the Fee Payment Agreement (refer to Attachments 4 and 5)
notifying the Approved Provider if experiencing difficulties with the payment of fees
providing the required documentation to enable the service to claim the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy for eligible families (refer to Attachment 1 – Fee information for families).

Service policies

Procedures

The Approved Provider is responsible for:

The Nominated Supervisor is responsible for:

Certified Supervisors and other educators are responsible for:

Parents/guardians are responsible for:

Evaluation

In order to assess whether the values and purposes of the policy have been achieved, the Approved Provider will:

regularly seek feedback from everyone affected by the policy regarding its effectiveness, particularly in relation to affordability, flexibility of payment options and procedures for the collection of fees
monitor the implementation, compliance, complaints and incidents in relation to this policy
monitor the number of families/children excluded from the service because of their inability to pay fees
keep the policy up to date with current legislation, research, policy and best practice
revise the policy and procedures as part of the service’s policy review cycle, or as required
notify parents/guardians at least 14 days before making any changes to this policy or its procedures (Regulation 172(2)).
Attachment 1: Fee information for families
Attachment 2: Statement of Fees and Charges – Fee schedule – Four-year-old (funded) kindergarten program
Attachment 3: Statement of Fees and Charges – Fee schedule – Three-year-old kindergarten program
Attachment 4: Fee Payment Agreement – Four-year-old (funded) kindergarten program
Attachment 5: Fee Payment Agreement – Three-year-old kindergarten program

Attachments

Attachment 1

Fee information for families

Cherry Crescent Preschool

Why fees are necessary

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) provides per capita funding as a contribution toward the costs of providing a four-year-old kindergarten program. Services meet the balance of costs through charging fees and fundraising activities.

DEECD provides a Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (see below) that enables children from eligible families to attend a four-year-old kindergarten program free of charge, or at a minimal cost.

DEECD also provides funding to assist eligible three-year-old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and children known to Child Protection, to access kindergarten programs.

Cherry Crescent Preschool provides a range of support options to parents/guardians experiencing difficulty with payment of fees (see below).

How fees are set

As part of the budget development process, the Committee of Management sets fees each year for the programs of the service, taking into consideration:

the financial viability of the service
the level of government funding provided for the program, including the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy
the availability of other income sources, such as grants
the fees charged by similar services in the area
the capacity of parents/guardians to pay fees
reasonable expenditure in meeting agreed program quality and standards
requirements of the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy – Fees Policy (details in the The Kindergarten Guide: (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development) available under early childhood / service providers on the DEECD website: www.education.vic.gov.au

Fees set for the year are only reviewed in extraordinary circumstances, for example, if attendance rates fall below the budget ‘break even’ point.

Other charges

Other charges levied by Cherry Crescent Preschool are included on the Statement of Fees and Charges. These include:

Kindergarten fee deposit: This payment secures a child’s place at the service and is payable on acceptance of enrolment. The deposit is retained as part payment on term fees. Families eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (see below) are not required to pay the deposit. Families experiencing hardship should also discuss any difficulties with the service.

Statement of fees and charges

A statement of fees and charges for four-year-old or three-year-old kindergarten will be provided to families on enrolment.

Fundraising

Not all service costs are covered by DEECD per capita funding and the fees charged. Fundraising is undertaken to meet the balance and/or pay for additional items for the service. While participation in fundraising is voluntary, the support of every family is encouraged. Fundraising activities are also an opportunity for families and communities to come together.

Subsidies

6.1 Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (four-year-old programs only)

The Kindergarten Fee Subsidy is provided by DEECD and enables eligible children to attend kindergarten free of charge or at minimal cost. Eligibility conditions change from time-to-time – contact the service for further information.

Families who may be eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (four-year-old programs only) include those who are:

Health Care Card holders
Pensioner Concession Card holders
Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card or White Card holders
Bridging Visas A–E
Refugee Visa (subclass) 200
In-country Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 201)
Global Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 202)
Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa (subclass 786)
Protection visa (subclass 866)
Emergency Rescue visa (subclass 203)
Woman at risk visa (subclass 204)
ImmiCard
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children
triplets or quadruplets attending a funded kindergarten program in the same year.

Supporting documentation must be sighted by the service on acceptance of a place or on commencement in the program. Families are eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy for the full term in which their concession is valid. Contact the service for further information.

6.2 Early Start Kindergarten fee subsidy

Three-year-old Aboriginaland Torres StraitIslander children and children known to Child Protection are eligible to attend a funded early childhood program that is planned and delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher free of charge. The service receives funding for children who meet the eligibility criteria. Contact the service for further information.

Payment of fees

The Committee of Managementwill regularly review payment options and procedures to ensure that they are inclusive and sensitive to families’ cultural and financial situations.

Fees will be invoiced to parents/guardians directly and must be paid by the date indicated on the invoice. Each invoice will be accompanied by payment instructions. The first term’s fees must be received in full prior to the child commencing at the service. For children enrolled after the commencement of a term, a pro rata invoice will be issued and must be paid in full within 14 days of the child’s commencement at the service. Receipts will be provided for all fee payments.

Parents/guardians experiencing difficulty in paying fees are requested to contact the committee of management to arrange a suitable alternative payment plan. The Privacy and Confidentiality Policy of the service will be complied with at all times in relation to a family’s financial/personal circumstances.

Unpaid fees

If fees are not paid by the due date, the following steps will be taken.

An initial reminder letter will be sent to parents/guardians with a specified payment date, and will include information on a range of support options available for the family.
Where payment is still not received, families will be invited to attend a meeting to discuss the range of support options available and establish a payment plan.
Failure to attend the meeting and continued non-payment may result in a second and final letter notifying parents/guardians that the child’s place at the service may be withdrawn unless payment is made or a payment plan is entered into within a specified period of time. This letter will also include information on a range of support options available for the family.
The Committee of Management will continue to offer support and will reserve the right to employ the services of a debt collector.
If a decision is made to withdraw the child’s place at the service, the parents/guardians will be provided with 14 days’ notice in writing.

Refund of fees

If a family becomes eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy during a term, a full refund of the applicable term fees (and fee deposit, where appropriate) will be provided. Fees may still apply for programs offering more than the required minimum hours per week.

In any other case, fees are non-refundable (exceptional circumstances may apply – these are at the discretion of the Committee of Management. There will be no refund of fees in the following circumstances:

a child’s short-term illness
public holidays
family holiday during operational times
closure of the service for one or more days when a qualified educator is absent and a qualified reliever is not available
closure of the service for staff training days
closure of the service due to extreme and unavoidable circumstances.

In addition, there will be no refund where a family chooses not to send their child to the program for the maximum number of hours for which they are enrolled.

Children turning three during the year of enrolment

Full payment from the first day of Term 1 is required if a place is to be reserved for a child in the three-year-old kindergarten program. Children can only commence the program when they have turned three.

Support services

Families experiencing financial hardship often require access to family support services. Information on these services is available from the kindergarten service provider and a list can be supplied to those families who require it. If your service does not already have this information a good place to start is with your local council.

Notification of fee changes during the year

Fees set for the year would only be reviewed in extraordinary circumstances, for example, if attendance rates fall below the budget ‘break even’ point. Parents/guardians will be notified one term in advance of any required fee increase and will be offered the option to request a payment plan.

Attachment 2

Statement of Fees and Charges

Cherry Crescent Preschool

Fee schedule 2020

Four-year-old (funded) kindergarten

Hours: 15 hours per week

	Full Fees ($)	Other charges ($)	Total ($)	Families eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy
	Full Fees ($)	Other charges ($)	Total ($)	Fees ($)	Other charges ($)	Total ($)
Kindergarten fee deposit	$440.00 Term 4 fee	$30.00 Fundraising	$470.00	$0.00	$30.00 Fundraising	$30.00
Term 1	$440.00	$40.00 sunhat and fundraising	$480.00	$0.00	$40.00 Sunhat and fundraising	$40.00
Term 2	$440.00	$30.00	$470.00	$0.00	$30.00 Fundraising	$30.00
Term 3	$440.00	$30.00	$470.00	$0.00	$30.00 Fundraising	$30.00
Term 4	$440.00 or $0.00 if deposit paid in 2019	$0.00	$470.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$1,760.00	$130.00	$1,890.00	$0.00	$140.00	$140.00

Payment of fees

Invoices will be issued the first week of each term and must be paid by the due date.

Kindergarten fee deposit

Parents/guardians are required to pay the fee deposit on offer of a place. This payment is retained and deducted from term 4 fees. Payment will secure the child’s place in the four-year-old (funded) kindergarten program.

Kindergarten Fee Subsidy

Families who are eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (refer to Fee information for families) will not be required to make fee payments..

Attachment 3

Statement of Fees and Charges

Cherry Crescent Preschool

Fee schedule 2020

Three-year-old kindergarten

Hours: 5 hours per week

	Fees ($)	Other charges ($)	Total ($)
Kindergarten fee deposit	$400.00 – Term 4 Fee	$30.00 Fundraising levy	$430.00
Term 1	$400.00	$30.00 Fundraising levy $10.00 Sunhat	$440.00
Term 2	$400.00	$30.00 Fundraising levy	$430.00
Term 3	$400.00	$30.00 Fundraising levy	$430.00
Term 4	$400.00 or $0.00 if deposit paid in 2019
Total	$1600.00	$130.00	$1730.00 / year

Payment of fees

Invoices will be issued in the first week of term and must be paid by the due date.

Kindergarten fee deposit

Parents/guardians are required to pay the fee deposit on offer of a place. This payment is retained and deducted from term 4 fees. Payment will secure the child’s place in the three-year-old kindergarten program.

Early Start Kindergarten fee subsidy

Families who are eligible for the Early Start Kindergarten fee subsidy (refer to Fee information for families) will not be required to make fee payments.

Children turning three during the year

Attachment 4

Fee Payment Agreement

Four-year-old (funded) kindergarten program

Please complete this form and return to Cherry Crescent Preschoolby

Fee payment contract

Child’s full name: ____________________________________________________________

Parent’s/guardian’s full name:__________________________________________________

I/we acknowledge that the four-year-old kindergarten program is partly funded by the state government, with the balance of funds coming from fees paid by parents/guardians.
I/we understand that I/we am/are entitled to obtain the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy if I/we meet one of the criteria below. If my/our eligibility lapses, then I/we understand that full payment of fees is required from the beginning of the following term.
I/we agree to pay fees by the due date on the invoice.
I/we understand that term fees are non-refundable.
I/we acknowledge that if fees are not paid by the due date, the Committee of Management/Board will implement the late payment of fees procedures, as outlined in the Fees Policy, which could result in the withdrawal of my/our child’s place at the service.
I/we agree that if my/our financial circumstances change and I/we am/are unable to pay as agreed, I/we will immediately notify the to discuss alternative payment options.
I/we acknowledge that I/we have received and read the service’s Fee information for families, which outlines the procedure for payment of fees.

Kindergarten Fee Subsidy

Please indicate below which concession you are eligible for – the criteria is outlined on Attachment 1 Section 6.

Concession: ____________________________________________________________________

Supporting documentation will need to be sighted on commencement at Cherry Crescent Preschool by the .

Note: the eligibility of concessions may vary from time-to-time. Up-to-date information can be found in The Kindergarten Guide (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development) available under early childhood / service providers on the DEECD website: www.education.vic.gov.au

________________________________________

Signature (parent/guardian) Date

Note: Invoices, receipts and collection of fees will be in accordance with the Cherry Crescent PreschoolFeesPolicy.

Attachment 5

Fee Payment Agreement

Three-year-old kindergarten program

Please complete this form and return to Cherry Crescent Preschoolby .

Fee payment contract

Child’s full name:____________________________________________________________

Parent’s/guardian’s full name:__________________________________________________

I/we acknowledge that the three-year-old kindergarten is not funded by the state government and that the program cannot operate without receiving fees (the only exception is where a child is eligible for the Early Start Kindergarten fee subsidy – see below).
I/we agree to pay fees by the due date on the invoice.
I/we acknowledge that if fees are not paid by the due date, the Committee of Management/Board will implement the late payment of fees procedures, as outlined in the Fees Policy which could result in the withdrawal of my/our child’s place at the service.
I/we understand that term fees are non-refundable.
I/we agree that if my/our financial circumstances change and I/we am/are unable to pay as agreed, I/we will immediately notify the to discuss alternative payment options.
I/we acknowledge that I/we have received and read the service’s Fee information for families, which outlines the procedures for payment of fees.

________________________________________

Signature (parent/guardian) Date

Note: invoices, receipts and collection of fees will be in accordance with the Cherry Crescent PreschoolFeesPolicy.