General News
8 December, 2024
ELC fee policy changes
Changes to the Bogan Shire Early Learning Centre (ELC) fee policy approved by Bogan Shire Council last week now require families pay a $500 bond for each enrolled child - and to pay fees in advance.
Director of people and culture, Debb Wood, said these changes would bring the ELC into line with other early childhood providers, and also prevent families falling behind with payments.
“The objective of the ELC is to provide quality early education and care that responds to a very real need from families within our community. In order to be able to do that in a financially sustainable way it is essential that fees are recovered and, within appropriate limits, fee income is maximised for the benefit of all families wishing to access the service,” Mrs Wood reported to the November council meeting.
All fees will now need to be paid by direct debit and two weeks in advance and families wishing to make changes to their child’s number of enrolled days will need to provide two weeks’ notice.
Mrs Wood said these changes were designed to protect the ELC from the ramifications of unpaid fees.
“This will resolve situations where staff need to follow up unpaid fees and, in certain instances, institute debt recovery procedures. It also allows for more accurate projections of revenue to allow for better financial and business planning,” she said.
Mrs Wood said the introduction of the $500 bond would address the situations where families give the required two weeks’ notice of intention to cease attending the ELC but then not send their children to the centre or pay fees during that fortnight.
Council also approved new conditions for children who take extended leave from the ELC but still want to retain a place. Previous practice allowed families to withdraw their children from the ELC for up to six weeks a year while still retaining their placement.
“During the six week period children are withdrawn from the ELC, no fees [have been] payable. This has [had] a negative impact on the finances of the ELC which ultimately affects all users of the service,” Mrs Wood said.
“It is understood this is highly unusual in the early childhood education and care industry. It also exposes council to criticism as children on the wait list cannot be offered a permanent placement for the vacancy that arises as a result of the six week withdrawal.”
Instead, families will be allowed up to two weeks “holiday leave” to be billed at 50 per cent of applicable fees. These changes were all approved at the November council meeting and came into effect on Monday.