The cost of childcare services in Hawke's Bay

The costs of childcare vary between the 40 services in Hawke's Bay. PHOTO/FILE

With around 40 listed childcare services in Hawke's Bay, the cost of childcare can vary with many subsidised by government payments.

A number use the higher funding subsidy offered by the Ministry of Education, known as 20 Hours ECE.

For a child aged between 3 and 5 years old who goes to an ECE service or kōhanga reo, the cost can be fully subsidised for up to six hours a day and up to 20 hours a week.

ECEs and kohanga reo may have a minimum number of hours or days of enrolment, however parents can choose as many, or as few hours of 20 Hours ECE.

The subsidy can also apply for parents using an educator to look after their child, however the educator must be part of a licensed home-based ECE service.

The Heretaunga Kindergarten Association covers 16 kindergartens in Central Hawke's Bay, Hastings and Havelock North.

The association's enrolment form asks parents whether they will allocate their child's 20 Hours ECE to the respective kindergarten they are enrolling in.

The form also asks parents to agree that "if I do not use my child's 20 Hours ECE allocation at this kindergarten, I understand that a family contribution of $2/$2.50 per hour will be requested".

The Napier Kindergartens Association manages 15 kindergartens. Its website stipulates that if a child's attendance is not covered by the 20 Hours ECE, parents will be required to pay a fee of $4 an hour.

However, the association subsidises costs for children between 3 and 5 years old whose 20 Hours ECE have been attested to them.

This means if children attend for 10 hours over the 20 hour allocation, there are no fees for this extra time.

Fees are also subsidised so two-year-olds can attend for free.

The situation is similar for childcare - as one example, Village Kids childcare offers a centre in Napier and Havelock North, where they also offer home-based childcare, and out of school care for 5 to 11-year-olds.

Its website stipulates fees at the Napier and Havelock North centre's are from $5 an hour, with a maximum $250 per week. It uses the 20 ECE hours for 3 and 4-year-olds with no additional charges.

Daily before school care costs $10, and after school care is $16.

As well as the 20 Hours ECE, eligible parents can also receive a WINZ childcare subsidy - some families could receive both, but cannot use them for the same hours.

The childcare subsidy is normally paid for up to nine hours of childcare a week if the parent is not working, studying or training, or up to 50 hours if the parent fits other standards.

Parents must fit certain criteria, including being the main carer of a dependent child, and on a low or middle income. The child must be under 5 years old, and attending an approved early childhood programme for three or more hours a week.

This subsidy has a wide range - a family with one child, on a gross weekly income of less than $800, can receive a $5 subsidy per hour, and a $250 subsidy per week for 50 hours.

This subsidy extends to a family with three or more children, whose gross weekly income is between $1670 to $1799, who would receive $1.55 per child, per hour, and $77.50 per week, per child for 50 hours.