Fees & Levies
Eltham Woods Childcare Cooperative is a non-for-profit service.
We aim to keep fees as low as possible for families. Fees are set to ensure our budget balances each year. Our daily rate includes food, nappies where needed and an Eltham Woods hat which is suitable for outdoor play.
Our daily rate is reviewed at the end of each calendar year by our Committee of Management in accordance with our budget review process. The 2023 daily rate is set as $138 per day per child.
Fees are charged for children’s absences due to illness or holidays. Fees are also charged for public holidays.
Fees are not charged throughout our Christmas closure period which is typically 2.5 weeks following Christmas.
Fees are invoiced fortnightly in retrospect to care provided, for this reason families must pay a bond of 2 weeks full priced fees upon acceptance of a position at Eltham Woods, this bond will be refunded in full to a family at the conclusion of their child’s enrolment at the centre provided all fees have been reconciled.
Families are requested to provide direct debit details for payment of fees to ensure smooth operation of the centre.
Families may be eligible for government assistance with the cost of childcare including the Childcare Subsidy (CCS) which can be deducted from your fees prior to centre invoicing. Contact the Family Assistance Office to determine your entitlements.
Families may also be eligible for ‘free kinder’ funding if their child attends our funded kindergarten program. Please refer to the Kindergarten page for further information.
Maintenance and resource levy
To assist with the cost of maintaining our gardens and play spaces as well as the cost of art supplies and children’s resources Eltham Woods charges an annual levy of $250 for families with one child attending or $350 for families with two or more children attending. This levy is charged in four quarterly instalments to families. Families will be charged this levy in their child’s first year at Eltham Woods, they can reduce or eliminate their levy in subsequent years by being active members of the Community based co-operative.
