Governemnt Free pre school place scheme and Montessori asking for additional money

C Eng

Whats the story, if you have a child availing of the free pre school place in a montessori, can the montessori look for addditional fees off the parents/guardians to cover the easter holidays, especially when the montessori are going to be off during that time.

I feel its a bit cheeky. Anyone else come accross this issue?

smelltheglove

I know for my daughters playschool we will be paying €8.50 extra a week as the government pays for a certain amount of hours only and her school work that little bit extra. The school do not charge holiday fees though but I'd assume it's a case of that school charging holidays and the government not covering them!

Ickle Magoo

The government scheme only covers specific hours a day over specific weeks of the year, outside of the scheme the childcare facility is entitled to charge...

Sessional services

If your child attends a half-day or “sessional” service, such as a playschool, naíonra, Montessori or parent and toddler group, the normal pattern for the free pre-school year will be 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, over 38 weeks. If your child attends for more than 3 hours, you will be charged for the extra time.

If your child’s sessional service cannot open for 5 days a week, the normal pattern for the free pre-school year will be 3 hours and 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week, over 41 weeks.

For the initial period January/June 2010, the free service lasts for 23 weeks.

Daycare services

If your child attends a full-time or part-time daycare service, the normal pattern for the free pre-school year will be 2 hours and 15 minutes per day over 50 weeks. If your child attends for longer than this each day, you will be charged for the extra time.

To facilitate parents whose children attend a full or part-time service for only 3 days a week, such a service can opt to provide 3 daily free pre-school sessions of 3 hours 45 minutes each week over 50 weeks.

For the initial period January/August 2010, the free daycare service lasts for 34 weeks instead of the 50 provided in a full year.

Rates

There is no charge for the playschool or daycare hours provided under the ECCE scheme. The State capitation fee pays the playschool or daycare service to provide these ECCE hours. However, if your child attends for extra hours, you will have to pay for these extra hours in the normal way.

A service may charge parents for extra activities. However, these must be optional and the service must provide other appropriate activities to children who don’t take part in the optional activity being charged for.

Capitation rates for service providers

For providers of daycare services, the weekly capitation fee will be €48.50 over 50 weeks.

For providers of sessional services, the weekly capitation fee will generally be €64.50 over 38 weeks.

Sessional playschools with more highly qualified staff may be able to qualify for a higher capitation fee of €75 per week.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/education/pre-school-education-and-childcare/early-childhood-care-and-education-scheme

C Eng

My child only goes 3 hrs a day 5 days a week. No extra time or activities.

Still don't see why I have to cover the easter holiday period though when the montessori class will be off though!

When the montessori decided to run the scheme offered by the government, they knew what they were getting in to, and now it seems like the parents are the "soft touch" as we want more money, to cover staff holidays

Ickle Magoo

I imagine you have to pay to retain the place, or something like that. Staff are paid an annual salary as opposed to only being paid for the weeks that the Montessori are open. We don't pay during the holidays but we have to pay €60 a month to the Montessori regardless.

The scheme started in January and ends in August and the government have agreed to pay for X weeks/X hrs - and not an hour more. Perhaps give the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs a buzz and see what they say about charging for holidays while the Montessori is closed? Sounds crazy to me but I wouldn't be surprised if it's perfectly legit. :rolleyes: :mad:

C Eng

Thanks Ickle magoo, have tried the government depts as suggested. Guess what, no one there has even answered the phones or replied to an e mail. Guess that goes against their work to rule (strike) to actually give joe public an answer:rolleyes:

John Mason

sThe number for the OMYCA is 01 635 4000

Just be aware that their are on a work to rule, so answering the phone is not a priority.

i would love to know the answer to this question myself, my phone has being ring off the hook with creches wondering if they have to charge for easter even though they are not open.

actually you might be better to email them. all the contact details are on this page
http://www.omc.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=documents/Aboutus/contact.htm

the other thing you need to remember is that they are majorly under staffed, this new programme came into effect when recruitment freezes were in place.

gabsdot40

If your child is part of the ECCE scheme you are under no obligation to pay a single penny to the preschool. Don't pay it and report the school to the OMCY. They are in breach of their contract with OMCY
Are they seriously asking you to pay for the Easter holidays and they aren't even open. Cheek.
This is a very good thread on this subject from rollercoaster.ie

http://www.rollercoaster.ie/t2t/mc.asp?ID=690339&G=72&forumdb=4

C Eng

The OMCY dont get me started, they wont reply to e mails, have finally got through to someone today, who said its nothing to do with them and decided to play phone tennis with me then transferring me to numbers where no one will answer. Absolutely sick of them at this stage, Im trying to get a straight answer to a question, which may in turn either prove or allay fears of the public and goverment scheme potentially being abused by childcare providers.

gabsdot40

What do you mean, It's nothing to do with them? It's their scheme!!!!

C Eng

It may be their department scheme but trying to get a straight answer is impossible. So will try and ring tomorrow and hopefully get some other person in the department who may have an idea on whether its correct or not to charge for the montessori place whilst the class is off for the two weeks at easter. ( I mean how hard can it be) they wrote the rules after all!!!

LegacyUser

I have a small playschool and have two staff working part-time. I do not charge any additional monies. Since the introduction of the ECCE Scheme I can now only provide work for 38 weeks of the year. Both myself and staff get no payment for any holidays taken during the year.

I think is is a huge joke that the so called "fashionable" establishment are passing on these additional fees to parents in such hard times.

If you are a parent and being charged for items such as parties etc. nothing to stop you providing party goodies yourself on the day yourself. You can phone Kildare Childare Committee and they will tell you exactly what preschools are allowed to charge for and your rights.

I am down money but the way I see it so are most families and we all have to do our bt and not be greedy.

ShaneM100

I have a question about this free playschool year.My child has been attending a preschool since sept,he is entitled to the free preschool year but in sept we received a letter from the preschool telling us that their service runs a three and half hour service and there will be a fee of 100Euro a month for this,there was no option,nothing,basically it was written in a way where it was like "this is my service,like it or lump it,that is the way it is" They told us nothing about the free year,no options.I only discovered two weeks ago that infact this extra half hour a day was meant to be optional,which would have suited me fine.Am I correct in thinking that this preschool pulled the wool over my eyes since sept and charged me 100euro a month for something I didn't want in the first place (extra half hour a day) This preschool just changed their story two weeks ago and said "There is a fee of 100euro a month,if the three and half hour service is opted for" They never included this part in the letter I received in sept!!Which doesn't sound right to me.