FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Enrolment

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Q: My child attended last year. Do I still need to submit an enrolment each year?

A: Yes. Enrolments do not roll over and the enrolment fee is charged annually.  Although we are located in Maroubra Junction Public School we do not have access to their records.  A new enrolment form each year ensures we have accurate, up-to-date information we require to ensure appropriate care for your child.

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Q: How do I know my enrolment has been processed or received?

A: You will receive an email confirmation from the service. If you do not hear from us, please contact us immediately.

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Q: Can I change the requirements of my booking?

A: Yes, permanent booking can be changed using the booking form and casual bookings as per the details in our casual booking section. Please refer to our enrolment and booking procedures that can be found in the family handbook.

For permanent bookings we need 1 week notice to change bookings. This can be done in written form either by email or via the booking form. Please note that swapping permanent days within the same week is not permitted and will be classed as a casual booking. For more information refer to our enrolment and booking procedures in the family handbook.

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Q: Should I register as soon as possible for care?

A: Our service is licensed to care for 150 children. Places at the service are offered according to a priority of access set by Department of Family and Community Services as well as the receipt date of the enrolment. To ensure a successful placement, families are advised to register as soon as possible. Our service currently does not maintain a waiting list.

 

Fees and Payment

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Q: How do you bill families?

A: Invoices are billed fortnightly in arrears. The amount will be debited from your nominated account 7 days from the date of the invoice. If you would like to change your direct debit account details, this can be done via SmartCentral, or contact the service. Invoices are sent electronically to your nominated email address.  If you have not been receiving fortnightly invoices from us please contact us immediately to update your email address.

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Q: What happens if I don’t pay my fees on time?

A: If fees are not paid 4 weeks in a row, you will be placed on our debt recovery system. A letter will be sent as a reminder of outstanding fees and if no contact or payments have been made, it will be passed on to our solicitors. In the event of this outcome, please note that the solicitors fees will be added to your account.

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Q: What if I am late picking up my child?

A: If you are running late please ring the service so arrangements can be made. A late fee will also be charged to your account according to the charges specified in our Fees section.

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Q: Do you charge me if my child doesn’t attend before and after school?

A: If your child is absent on a permanent booking day a fee will be charged. If your child will be absent for at least one week, you will not be charged for planned absences if you provide us with notice one week in advance of the absence period. This can be done via email to the service. For casual bookings, notice must be given prior to 9am of the day for after school care cancellations and prior to 6pm the day before for before school care cancellations. Once the booking date has closed for vacation care, there are no refunds for cancellations and fees are not refundable for absences.
 

Q. Do you charge me if my child doesn’t attend vacation care?
A: No cancellation can be made after the closing date. Families will be charged their booking if they do cancel after this date. In the instance we have children on a waiting list and we can replace your booking from the list, the booking will be cancelled free of charge.
Any cancellations within 24hr of your booked vacation care day, you'll be charged.

General

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Q: What is your process for managing new Kindergarten children?

A: To ensure a smooth transition our staff will collect or drop off Kindergarten students from/to their classrooms in Term 1 or until they are comfortable to walk over to/from the care centre on their own. This allows children to become familiar with the centre’s staff, the after school care routine and overall process. We strongly recommend that families enrol their Kindergarten student in the summer vacation care program as this allows them to get use to their new surroundings, peers and our staff.

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Q: My child has never been in after school care and/or vacation care before. I’m a little apprehensive. What should I expect?

A: You can expect that your child will be provided with quality care whilst in our service. You can be assured that our service takes a holistic approach to care and programming in an effort to cater to the diverse needs and interests of all our families. You can also expect that your child will thoroughly enjoy their time here and that your family will be warmly welcomed into our service.

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Q: Does my child need to bring anything to the centre?

A: Children are required to bring and wear their own hat for outdoor play. The service supplies sunscreen for children to use, however, you are welcome to supply your own sunscreen if you wish.  We ask that you pack enough food for a regular school day if your child is attending our vacation care program.  You may also wish to pack an old t-shirt or art smock for use during the art and craft activities.

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Q: My child has special requirements, and/or requires medication. Can you provide this for my child?

A: Yes, If your child has a medical condition, please note this on your enrolment form and request a special needs data form. On receipt of this special needs form, the service will contact you to further discuss your child’s needs, to ensure that we can effectively manage these and provide your child with the highest level of care. If your child requires medication, please request and complete a medication form to be returned with your enrolment.

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Q: Is there food provided at before and after school and vacation care?

A: Yes, we provide breakfast for before school care and afternoon tea for after school care. For details refer to our Routine and Meals section. Please note that breakfast is not provided during vacation care nor is lunch. Families are required to pack recess and lunch for vacation care, unless instructed otherwise on the program.

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Q: I would like my child to undertake his/her homework while attending the centre. Is this possible?

A: There is always access to materials such as stationery, calculators, dictionaries and encyclopaedias for those children needing to do homework. Staff will encourage children to do their homework as much as possible at parents’ request.  However staff are not able to provide 1:1 support during most before and after school care sessions.

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Q: What do I do if I have concerns or feedback?

A: Please contact a member of staff to discuss any issues to ensure that they are resolved effectively. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, please use the Complaint and Grievances process. All feedback is important to us and ensures we provide the highest level of care to all our families. So we appreciate any feedback whether it’s done verbally, via email or through our contact form.