The fee questions that prevent surprises
Before enrolling, ask for a written explanation of the exact session offered, funded hours, attendance outside funding, payment timing, absences, notice periods, deposits, optional charges and supplied items. Use your child’s real days and times. A general weekly figure is not enough to understand the full arrangement or compare centres fairly.
Childcare fees make sense only when they are attached to a defined booking. Two families at the same centre may need different days, hours, funded allocations and supplies. Comparing a single number without those details can produce a false saving or an unexpected cost.
Use this checklist during the enquiry and again before signing. Ask the centre to mark any item that does not apply rather than leaving it unanswered. Keep the written response with the enrolment agreement.
1. Define the session before discussing cost
Ask for the session name, enrolled start and finish time, required days and earliest available start date. Confirm whether the booking is fixed or can vary week to week. Check the minimum attendance pattern and what happens when a preferred day is unavailable. A fee cannot be assessed properly until the centre and family are describing the same timetable.
2. Identify every funded hour
For an eligible child, ask which hours will be recorded as 20 Hours ECE and whether any are allocated at another service. Confirm that the daily and weekly limits are respected. If the family is applying for Childcare Subsidy, show the centre the care period included in the application. Funding labels should appear clearly in the paperwork rather than being inferred from a verbal conversation.
3. Ask what sits outside the funded allocation
Request current fee information for the hours or sessions not covered by 20 Hours ECE. Do not ask for an abstract ‘extra hourly rate’ if the centre sells care through sessions or weekly bookings. Ask the centre to explain the actual arrangement it can offer your child. If information may change before the proposed start date, ask when it will be reconfirmed.
4. Clarify payment administration
- When is payment due and how is it made?
- Is payment in advance or after attendance?
- Is a deposit, enrolment or waiting-list payment required?
- How are account statements and receipts supplied?
- What should a family do if Work and Income approval is pending?
- Who handles questions about an account discrepancy?
5. Understand absences and closures
Ask what happens financially when a child is sick, the family takes a holiday, a public holiday falls on an enrolled day or the centre closes. Find out how much notice is required for a planned absence and whether prolonged absence affects the place. Funding and fee rules can treat different circumstances differently, so request the centre’s current written policy rather than relying on another parent’s experience.
6. Separate compulsory fees, donations and optional charges
Ministry guidance distinguishes compulsory fees from voluntary donations and agreed optional charges. Ask the centre to label each payment accurately and explain what an optional item provides. Parents should know whether an item can be declined and what happens if it is. For 20 Hours ECE, compulsory fees must not be charged for the hours claimed under the scheme, while attendance outside those hours may have charges.
Items and services to ask about
- Meals, snacks, bottles and special dietary requirements
- Nappies, wipes, sunscreen, hats and spare clothing
- Excursions, transport or visiting programmes
- Digital communication or portfolio access
- Late collection, additional days or timetable changes
7. Read the notice and change terms
Ask how much notice is needed to reduce days, change sessions or leave the centre. Find out whether the notice must be in writing and from what date it is counted. Also ask how the centre communicates changes to rates or session conditions. A family should understand both sides of the agreement: its own notice responsibilities and the information the service will provide when conditions change.
8. Compare complete weekly arrangements
When comparing centres, use the same attendance requirement for each. Include funded hours, other attendance, supplied items, travel, operating hours and the stability of the available place. The lowest headline number is not automatically the best value if the session does not cover the working day or requires frequent alternative care. Write down what remains unconfirmed before making a decision.
The Childsplay Unlimited fee conversation
Tell Mt Roskill or Kingsland the child’s age, preferred start date, exact days and arrival and collection times. If the child is over three, ask how the free 12pm–4pm afternoon session and 20 Hours ECE apply, then request current information for care outside that session. Do not merge centre details or rely on prices from an old document.
Finish with a read-back
Before ending the conversation, read the proposed arrangement back in one sentence: centre, start date, days, arrival, collection, funded allocation and other attendance. Ask the staff member to correct anything that is wrong and identify what remains subject to availability or approval. Then request the documents needed to formalise the place. This small step catches misunderstandings that a broad question about weekly cost will not reveal and gives the developer-independent article a practical action parents can use.
Red flags before signing
- The days or times are still described as approximate.
- The funded allocation is not shown clearly.
- A pending subsidy is being treated as approved.
- Notice, absence or payment terms have not been supplied.
- The family is relying on information for the other Childsplay centre.
Childcare fee questions parents often miss
Why not publish an exact Childsplay price here?
Current fees depend on the session and may change. The relevant centre should provide information for the child’s actual proposed booking.
Are 20 Hours ECE and total attendance the same?
Not necessarily. A child may attend beyond the selected funded hours, and the centre should explain the complete arrangement.
Should optional charges be identified?
Yes. Ask what the charge covers, whether it is optional and how agreement is recorded.
What is the best comparison document?
Use a written weekly schedule showing days, times, funded hours, other attendance, supplied items and all current conditions.
Contact Childsplay Unlimited
For a current, booking-specific explanation, contact Childsplay Unlimited with your child’s age, preferred start date, days and times. Call Mt Roskill on 09 627 9041 or Kingsland on 09 846 8908 and ask for the applicable session and fee information.
