Work Participation Issues for Single Parents
Finding Alternative Care
PLEASE send some 'help get daycare' vibes as I now have a job offer but my sons' daycare centre doesn't have spaces on Monday and Thursday at the moment which is a problem. There are no other spaces in daycare in the town either so it is an issue (Single mother of two children).
. The sources of alternative care for your children are diverse and different options suit different family needs. Family members are a first choice for many mothers, particularly when mothers or sisters are nearby and supportive. More challenges arise when we need other options.
The other parent can sometimes take on more care hours to support mothers' work, if they are (a) available (b) safe and competent (c) interested and co-operative.
The Federal Government provides Child Care Benefit subsidies to users of approved child care services. Approved child care services must comply with accreditation and quality regulations and ensure that your child has access to quality care. The maximum rate of child care assistance begins to taper once income reaches a certain amount per year. Questions about payments and child care benefit can be answered at the website: http://www.familyassist.gov.au/Internet/FAO/FAO1.nsf/content/faq-faq1.htm
I chose to use home-based Family Day Care services - the wonderful awe-inspiring and highly talented woman (a widow),who ended up caring for my kids in her home for over 3 years, (and has remained a close family friend ever since), had 6 children of her own then aged around 7-19, she also had her own elderly and partly-disabled mother living with her, along with a menagerie of pets and cared for a pair of baby twins in addition to my two (a toddler & pre-schooler). She was also very active in her community, including dragging the littlies & sometimes her teens and their friends, along with her when doing volunteer work at the local nursing home (Single mother of two children).
. Different forms of approved care for pre-schoolers include centre-based Day Care, Family Day Care in the service provider's home, and nanny-care in the parent's home. For school- aged children, many primary schools run Out of School Hours Care services before and after school and during the school holidays. These services also attract fee subsidies which can be claimed through the Families Assistance Office. http://www.familyassist.gov.au/
Registered Care payments can also be made by direct credit when you show the Family Assistance Office your receipts. This payment is not subject to an income test or an assets test. You can claim up to $.043 per hour ($21.70 per week) for a non-school child in 50 hours of work related care. Rates for school children are 85% of the non-school age rate.
Most states and territories now include details of child care services on their websites:
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
Tasmania
Western Australia
South Australia
Victoria
"I work full-time and I rejoiced when the baby started school at the beginning of this year because my child care needs diminished. I now use before and after school care in term time and vacation care in the holidays. I still use Family Day Care once a fortnight, though so that I can have the occasional Saturday night off. However it was a bit of a shock to find that vacation care uses up my entire entitlement of 50 hours subsidised care in the holidays and I can't afford to pay the full price for care for my night off. I tell you what, the holidays seem really long without that break". (Single mother of three children).
Funded under the National Women's Non-Government Organisation's Funding Programme, by the Office of the Status of Women, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet