Creche fees. How much are you paying?

baldbear wrote: »

Our 3 year old is in creche and it cost €606 a month after government subsidy. €50 a day. He's in 3 days a week.

We just were informed fees are going up by 4.5% in September.(Giraffe) The justification is costs associated with Tusla's quality framework costs and staff retention.

I'm wondering is this the case across the board?

We are also with Giraffe, 1 child (baby), 5 days a week, 1015 after subsidy, going up to 1070 ish after the increase. I was paying 985 just before subsidies came in for my first son who has since moved on from there.

Staff retention has always been an issue, that's not new and as for the Tulsa quality framework, I don't know what's actually changing and why that means more fees? I don't see any difference in standard of care but fees keep going up.

I called head office earlier and was told the finance director would call me back on Monday.

Can I ask what the government subsidy is? We have our baby with a minder but wonder would creche work out equal or better value. Very happy with her minder but curious to know other options if needed, I always thought creche was out of our budget..

Cash_Q wrote: »

Can I ask what the government subsidy is? We have our baby with a minder but wonder would creche work out equal or better value. Very happy with her minder but curious to know other options if needed, I always thought creche was out of our budget..

It’s currently €80 a month off full time crèche fees and there’s no income limit. However a new scheme will come into effect in October and will give a sliding scale of discounts based on parents income. https://affordablechildcare.ie/

Cakerbaker wrote:

It’s currently €80 a month off full time crèche fees and there’s no income limit. However a new scheme will come into effect in October and will give a sliding scale of discounts based on parents income.

Thanks what is it called? Is it a scheme or a tax credit?

I have heard about the new one coming later in the year, applies to registered minders only so I'll chat with ours and see if she is open to registering.

Crèches have been given a pile of extra paperwork to do in relation to grants and ecce and get nothing for it. Crèches are starting to close as it’s getting too much for people especially in smaller setups where the owner/manager also does some of the actual minding/teaching. They are really angry with zappone as she just gives them work without any help and also does nothing that really helps with staffing issues. Some. Crèches have stopped doing baby rooms as they are the most expensive to run and hardest to staff because of ratios being the lowest.

Cash_Q wrote: »

Can I ask what the government subsidy is? We have our baby with a minder but wonder would creche work out equal or better value. Very happy with her minder but curious to know other options if needed, I always thought creche was out of our budget..

I get the impression it is a big job for a minder to register with Tulsa. Our minder is but she is a minder who offers ecce. My younger boy is almost two so will get the universal scheme until he is eligible for ecce.
There is a new scheme coming in but we earn too much I think you can earn something like €100,000 or €60,000 net.
Anyway here is the universal one for the under 3’s.

naughtb4 wrote: »

Zappone is awful, very very little achievements for FG over their two terms across many of the portfolios

We are about 800 pm

She’s not FG just a clueless independent in a job she just doesn’t know how to do. Her vote was bought with one of the softest ministries and while I’m sure she’s well meaning she just is inept and out of her depth.
The whole industry needs an overhaul and she certainly isn’t the woman for the job.

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Around £1,800 a month before any subsidies. 3 year old and 18 month old in full time nursery in Manchester, just outside the city centre.

We use Tax-free Childcare and the age 3 paid term time 30 hours funded care to bring the cost out of pocket down to around 1250/month.

That's a mad price.

Here in Germany I am paying €150 a month for 2 kids, both are in the creche for 30 hours a week. The first 25 hours per kid is subsidised by the state where I live, each state is different. The cost per hour after the 25th hour is based on your salary.

naughtb4 wrote: »

Zappone is awful, very very little achievements for FG over their two terms across many of the portfolios

We are about 800 pm

Agreed, FG or not FG that woman is simply useless, looking forward to seeing her gone

syndrome777 wrote: »

can I ask which Giraffe?
I was just quoted 1180 (1108 after sub) for start in 09/2020, in Stepaside.

It's in D15, they all have different prices depending on location. The one in Harcourt Road is more expensive again, 1345 before the joke of a subsidy according to this article in the indo https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/fees-for-dil-rt-crches-well-below-top-rates-charged-in-the-capital-38542043.html

cherryghost wrote:

5 days a week full time, 180 a week. The creche is run with the South Dublin County Council, and there's 0 staff turnover in there. They are great.

Where is this? Do you have to meet particular criteria to get a place? That's incredibly cheap for fulltime childcare

190e a week full time -20 sub so 170e.
After-school care 22e a day.
Really hope gov come up with some good solution. I hate to think crèche staff do not earn good wage.

cherryghost wrote:

No criteria. We placed her on waiting list. Waited 4 months I think. It's the chain of

cherryghost wrote:

creches. It's now charity and community-run.

Wow it looks amazing. 40euro less than I pay a minder, it says term time only, so I presume you only pay for the weeks that the child is there? I'm a teacher so that really appeals to me. We save against the cost of most creches because our minder is not paid for the school holidays but that's the first creche I've seen open only during term time, and the first creche I've seen for that kind of price.

What ages do they take? Can children be dropped earlier or collected later than the times specified? Those hours wouldn't suit most working families. Is your fee calculated according to the supports available through tax credits/national childcare scheme? Sorry to bombard you with all the questions, this place just really doesn't fit with the impression I had of creches! Thanks in advance!

Ok thanks I just have misread the hours, I thought it was 8.45-3.45 so good to know they open earlier. Are they not closed for school holidays then? Maybe I misread one section of the school and took it as the whole place.. we pay 220 per week but only 38 weeks per year so it does even out for us compared to most alternatives

cherryghost wrote:

They are open every weekday except bank holidays. They give the option to not pay over Christmas but that's it.

Ok thanks, I must have been reading about ecce places or something. Great value compared to anything else I've seen anyway, good to know!

thebourke wrote: »

how can people afford these fees if they have to pay a mortgage on top of that?

Both parents have to be working in well paid jobs. Or one parent in a very well paid employment. It's desperate stuff.

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Around £1,800 a month before any subsidies. 3 year old and 18 month old in full time nursery in Manchester, just outside the city centre.

We use Tax-free Childcare and the age 3 paid term time 30 hours funded care to bring the cost out of pocket down to around 1250/month.

I'm now a single parent, anything I get from ExH goes on paying nursery fees. Thankfully my older son is starting school in September and my costs for breakfast club and after-school for him go down to around £12 a day. Next few months are going to be tough. Younger boy is 2 in 2 weeks time.

salmocab wrote:

Be sure and talk to politicians now, ask them on the doorstep and email them. There is a protest by some service providers a few days before the election, it needs to be made a big thing for this election. Once Zappone has moved on the next government should start to fix things but only if enough people shout loud enough.

Agreed, we need to should loudly about this. Early years staff are so grossly underpaid and don't get half the respect they deserve from government.

Cash_Q wrote: »

Agreed, we need to should loudly about this. Early years staff are so grossly underpaid and don't get half the respect they deserve from government.

It’s a tough job, I wouldn’t for a minute encourage my child to get into it. They do a really tough job most have a real love of the children and most wont be able to continue it once they start having their own families. I think Henry Ford had the genius idea of building cars his staff could afford that’s certainly something that should be strived for.

rapul wrote:

Some shocking prices here, my son is in 4 half days and a full day every week and it's less than 200 a month, north wexford, government subsidy included

Wow that's incredibly cheap!!!!! So less than 50 per week, what kind of a facility is this??? Is there some ECCE hours of something???