NT Explorers Early Learning Childcare Enrolment

Fees are payable on a child’s booked days despite whether they are absent. Fees are charged by the session not the hours attending.

For simple and safe payments of your account YMCA NT accounts are payable by Direct Debit from Credit Card or Bank Accounts. YMCA NT has partnered with debitsuccess to provide you with this service. A debitsuccess form is available from your service. Please note our fees are charged in advance.

Payments are by Direct Debit only and are always processed for 2 weeks fees in advance.

Unsuccessful debits will incur a rejection fee added to the parent/guardian account.

If an account becomes in arrears, families will be notified and
a reminder email will be sent informing the family that another payment will be debited within 2 business days. If the payment rejects once again another reminder email will be sent informing the family that another debit will occur in two business days. If the payment rejects for a third time, a phone call will be made by the coordinator of the service, followed by an email informing the family that their child’s enrolment is at risk of being cancelled.

YMCA NT programs close strictly at the end of their operating hours. Time has been set at $15 per 15 minute increments per child/ per additional time worked. To avoid a late fee, please organise for your child to be collected before closing time. If for some reason, you are unable to do so, then please contact the staff at your child’s service by phone and organise for your child to be collected before closing time by an Authorised Emergency Contact.

Families and carers need to sign their children in and out of the service at the time of arrival and departure through the iPad kiosk.
Any additional caregivers picking up children need to be documented on the Enrolment Form.
Any changes to general routine of this process must be discussed with the coordinator prior to access.

Under the Federal Governments Child Care Subsidy package, each child is eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for any reason, without proof of circumstances (this includes public holidays).

Under the Federal Governments Child Care Subsidy package, each child is eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for any reason, without proof of circumstances (this includes public holidays).

• An outbreak of an infectious disease at the Centre, for which the child has not been immunised.
• Any other absences due to illness of the child, parent or a parent being on a rotating shift or rostered day off (with supporting documentation).
• Temporary closure of the Centre, or pupil free day.
• Shared custody arrangements due to a court order or parenting order (with supporting documentation).
• Shared custody arrangements due to a court order or parenting order (with supporting documentation).
• Shared custody arrangements due to a court order or parenting order (with supporting documentation).

The initial 42 absence days must be exhausted before additional absences can be claimed.

Parents/guardians are asked to advise the coordinator of the service of any planned absences from care as soon as possible before the start of the session if their child is not attending on that day.

The demand for child care sometimes exceeds supply. The Australian Government has determined guidelines for allocating places in such circumstances. They set out the following three levels of priority:

• Priority 1 – a child at risk of serious abuse or neglect
• Priority 2 – a child of a single parent who satisfies, or of families and carers who both satisfy, the work/training/ study test under section 14 of the Family Assistance Act
• Priority 3 – any other child

Within these main categories priority should also be given to the following children:

• Children in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
• Children in families which include a disabled person
• Children in families on lower incomes
• Children in families with a non-English speaking background
• Children in socially isolated families
• Children of single families and carers

Any service that has no vacant places and is providing care for a Priority 3 child may require that child to leave the service in order for the service to provide a place for a higher priority child.

Full details can be found in the “Child Care Services Handbook” www.education.gov.au/child-care-service-handbook

Our programs may be eligible to receive an Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS) which can assist with the inclusion of children with additional needs. For further information concerning ISS please contact your coordinator. This process can take considerable time to complete. We suggest children with additional needs have a trial period at our services to ensure the safety and suitability of the service and correct support is put in place.

Yes. All children enrolling in our services who have a medical condition must have an action plan provided by a medical practitioner. Families are also required to complete in conjunction with the service coordinator, a Management of Medical Conditions Action and Minimisation Plan prior to their child starting at the service.

This plan will include: the child’s details, parents details and emergency contact information, details of the child’s medical condition, signs and symptoms and triggers, risk minimisation information and steps taken to minimise risks, where the medication will be stored and communication plan – how staff and parents will communicate information about the child’s condition on a continual basis.

After you have enrolled your child online, you will be contacted by an OSHC administrator who will assist you in completing the relevant medical documentation.

If a parent is experiencing problems associated with custody and access then please discuss this with the coordinator of your service. A copy of a current Family Court Order is required on enrolment and we will do our utmost to abide by this. If there is any likelihood of problems associated with the collection of your child, it is the parent’s responsibility to advise the staff and to provide information about any change to court orders.

YMCA NT ensures that personal information collected is accurate and stored securely and will only be used or disclosed to achieve the outcomes for which it was initially collected. Personal information will be managed openly and transparently in a way that protects an individual’s privacy and respects the rights under Australian Privacy laws.

We maintain private and confidential files for all staff, children, families, students and volunteers, maintaining records according to the Australian Privacy Principles (APP).

Our orientation process will take into account your child’s age, cultural background, interests, skills, abilities and their learning individual learning approach. You and your child will be invited to visit the service to meet our educators and familiarise yourselves with the environment. If you feel that more than one visit is required, you will be invited to attend as often as needed to assist with the transition process and help your child to feel safe and secure.

Throughout these visits educators will begin to build relationships with you and your child by discussing the programs, routines, the service philosophy and gathering information about you and your family so that we can tailor the early learning approach to meet your child’s individual needs.