How many waiting lists & what costs?

[bubhub]

Let's make this one a free form answer...

How many waiting lists did you put your child on? And how much did this cost you?

[draught]

I put my first child on 6 waiting lists while I was still pregnant. I only had to pay one deposit of $50 at one centre - but it was my centre of choice. Then we moved interstate when she was 6 months old so I had to start again (just as I was offered places at two centres). Over the next two years I put my name down at about 6 centres, and had to pay $20 at two of them. The irony is that I finally got offered the places I wanted just as we moved back to where we had lived when my first child was born - and I had to start all over again, again! This time I have not bothered putting our names down anywhere yet - we have just hired a nanny.

[mum23girls]

When I started back at Uni, I was pretty lucky to get my then 1 year old into care for the second centre that I saw.

These days especially with the after school care, I have my two elder daughters name on seven waiting lists, and family day care have only been able to offer me one of the two days that I need. Family day care is more expensive for me for after school care.

Luckily, no one has asked for any money for the schoolies waiting list...

[~Emmylou~]

I'm trying to get DS into care 2 days a week at the moment.

He is on about 6 waiting lists - mostly family daycare but also 2 centres.

One of the centres is where DD is already enrolled so they didn't charge to put him on their waiting list - as a sibling he will get priority but they usually charge I believe.

The others haven't charged anything.

I'm going nutso trying to get him in somewhere suitable before mid-Jan :hair:

[Mariposa]

with DD1 she was on the waiting list, but I didnt have to pay.

DD2 she got in pretty much straight away so they waived the fee.

DD3 is on the waiting list and I only had to pay a deposit of $5 :D

[Fuchsia!]

jaxon was put on one waiting list (cause we only had one daycare at the time) And he got in within 2months and there was no fee :)

[~Bec~]

DS was only put on one waiting list - cost $10.

[lros34]

Hi,

I put my son on 3 waiting lists whilst I was pregnant and was offered a spot in 1 centre two mths before I returned to work this year.

It wasn't our 1st choice in centres. We said no to the 2nd offer, cause we didn't know what the 1st centre was like.

We have been waiting about 30mths to obtain 2 days per week at our preferred centre which we have now received and ds starts there at the end of January, we had to pay a $20 deposit at this centre.

Now I have to change all our activities around, but at least I hope this centre will be better for him.:yelclap:

[Mahjong]

DS got into both centres straight away, and started the following week, both centres didn't charge me any fees.

[cate]

We were on waiting lists for 5 centres and 5 family day care schemes. 2 of the centres had a fee of $10. I put our name down at most when I was pregnant and some just after birth.

We have now got a fulltime place at our preferred centre to start in January 08, 3 weeks before I return to work.

[Pices_79]

I had DD name down at around 4 CC centres. We didnt have to pay anything

[OJandMe]

I put the boys names down at 3 centres. When they were 1.

Got into 1 after about 7 months, but turned it down as I had arranged other childcare for them (Grandmothers) and got into our preffered centre at the start of this year.

Didn't pay anything.

[Mummaholic]

he's on two waiting lists...no cost thankfully. It's been a long wait!

[Mummy_Johnno]

DS was straight in no waiting and no deposit :yelclap:

[zenifa]

It was a long time ago (nearly 3 yrs ago when I was pregnant with DD1) and we put her name down at 3 centres and for family day care and paid about $10 for a couple of them.
We did have a couple of offers but we were lucky and had my mum and MIL doing the care so we didn't use the places.
DD1 finally got a place a couple of months ago!! Yes she's over 2 now and starts next year 2 days/week at our 1st preference.

[cwsmum]

I didn't put DS on any waiting lists. I called a few centres when I decided I needed a day to myself and the third centre I called had a spot for him starting that same week :D 6mths later I called a centre closer to home to put his name down there (I was sick of driving 15mins each way) and they had a spot starting a fortnight later, so no wait then either.

DD has been enrolled at the centre DS attends since the start of the year, but she wont start there til early next year. There was no charge for this either.

[1+1=5]

ds is on a waiting list for 2010, it didn't cost me anything to put him on the list.

[mini_me]

i put my DD1 when we first moved to sunshine coast on every centre within 30min of house/work/study got one place for only 2 days p/w

This time i had to put both girls down in a different centre as poor quality of one CC centre. They charged $50 admin fee non refundable per family. But at no time did they guarentee a place for either of them. Turns out few parents on the waiting list didnt want to pay that much so we went straight to the top :smiliedance:

[Frazzled]

We have a centre at my workplace. Staff get first preference. I booked DS in when I was five months preg. Did not have to pay anything. We are just about to change him to family daycare but, so that may be a diff story.

[mothertobein2007]

i didnt have to put noah on a wait list because i got a job there and noah started when i did :laughing: and i get to see him at work its great

[Chickadee]

When pregnant or DD was just born (I forget) I phoned one childcare centre to ask about waiting lists and was told they didn't run one. So I didn't bother asking at others.

A month before I had to return to work I started phoning around and was told by nearly all that waiting lists were full . :gloomy:

In the end we've used:
- a family day care in Perth: no wait list, no wait list or enrollment fee.

- trialled a centre in Melbourne: was not on the waiting list, no wait list or enrollment fee.

- enrolled at a centre in Melbourne - We lucked out and got straight in. It runs a wait list but does not charge a fee.

[melissanjosh07]

Ive waited 12 months to put my son in childcare at the uni i go to.

I still consider my self to be a stay at home mum all the same.

He gets in tommorrow and we be in a few hours 2 days a week

[l33thun3]

We put our 2.5 yr old boy on 3 waiting lists about 2 months in advance and we were offered 4 out of the 5 days we needed for me to start Uni. However the 4 days don't start for another month after uni starts (which makes 3 1/2 months waiting).
It cost me $300 bond at the place we got offered which is our 2nd choice.
Our first choice - no bond - no place - and for that one we've been waiting 1.5 years!

[Little Gorilla]

I'm 20 weeks pregnant and will today be putting my bub to be down on the waiting list at DS's daycare.

I think by far its one of the best on the Gold Coast.

The waiting list is about 2 years....so that's when I plan on sending my little bun in the oven.

Cost is about $55 per day, less whatever child rebate % you get.

[Me]

When I was pregnant I put my DD's name on a few waiting lists, was offered a spot at one when she was a few months old, but wasn't ready to go back to work at that point. When I was ready I phoned around and got her in straight away(it was brand new so had heaps of places). After 6 mths we pulled her out as they were terrible and I would send my worst enemy there! So we phoned around again and got her into her current place - it was also brand new, but their nursery was already booked out, so we had to wait 2 months until she was old enough to go into the toddler room(well, she started in toddler at 14mths instead of 15mths, but we were desperate!).

Both places charged $50 enrollment fee(once a place was secured), but nothing to be on the waiting list.

[DonnaR]

No waiting lists. Older ones got straight into preschool. I have never used other childcare

[bellangel3]

No waiting lists for us, we have plenty in our area.:yelclap:

[angelfriend87]

gosh. i never knew you had to put deposits on some places. Tasmania must be lucky coz ive never heard of that. Can they really do that?!

Ive always used family day care but will NEVER use them again due to the lady becomming extremely attached and tried tricking me in to signing a document for her to be guardian. she eventually took me to court and called child and family services on me (for no reason). long long story but shes now out of our lives (apart from last few weeks as ive seen her at shops) and i just cant trust again. i understand it was a one off but my heart really cant forgive and forget. i feel now that a centre is the best place for my daughter. it may be more expensive but ill have piece of mind that there is less likely to be attachment issues.

[wildoats]

I'm still pregnant (bub is being induced tomorrow). About a month ago I put my name down in two places. Ironically the 2nd preference was a charge of $10 the other free :yelclap:

[KatiesMum]

DD got into our first and only choice straight away ... started later that week

I also could add extra days and change her around (which I did pretty often :p)

It is rather full now, and I have moved days to suit them a couple of times.

[OJandMe]

Put their names on 3 waiting lists.

No cost.

Got in to first choice, when we wanted to start. Got the days we wanted too.

G's at the same centre now.

J2 will go next year.

Siblings get preference over new enrollments.

[2girls&1boy]

My kids are only on waiting lists for Pre-Prep I put my eldest down on 1 and got a place.

My 2nd is down at 2 which cost $5 each
My 3rd is down at 2 $5 each.

[Myztiks#1Fan]

i called up coops first daycare on a monday and he started that thursday as that was the day i chose for him to go. then when his current daycare advertised they were opening, i put his name down with a $25 fee but he got his own hat. cant remember if he got anything else with that. as soon as they opened he started on 2 days per week and then when i found work he went full time.

i do know now that there is a waiting list as well. his first daycare i didnt like and they were always asking me to swap days as i was a SAHM at the time and working mothers deserved more priority than i did. well yeah maybe they did but that day was my day.

[MagsMum07]

My son is 14 months old and i havnt even considered putting his name down anywhere for anything.. i just dont get it.. plus.. how do i know where ill be living in 5 years time when he starts Prep!???? Its all very abstract to me..as he's only young i just havent looked in2 it.

[RockmelonDreams]

I put my daughter on 1 waiting list and got in the following week. We didn't have to pay a fee. The only problem was that I didn't have my first choice of days but I was able to work around that.

[Keiras mummy]

well last week realised my daughter needed care for march as I go back to uni went to the only 3 places around here that take under 2s and I could of got her in at one but had to wait till march to definally find out if she had a place or not so wasn't impressed plus they wanted $70 a day and didn't supply nappies.
the second place we went to knew they had a place but had to get the director to ring me back which still has not since over a week ago and they wanted $71 a day with nappies which was good but they wanted the formula pre mixed so was not happy with that option.
the thrid place we went to was awesome the kids seemed happier and it was cleaner, supplies nappies and bottles was slightly more expensive at $73.50 a day but well worth it.
but no waiting list fees luckily as I straight away enrolled my daughter into the third one we looked at.

[missie_mack]

3 waiting lists. Got two days out of 3 at our first choice. Then when DS turned 2 and refused to stay in the baby room they were only able to offer us 1 of the three days. The other two have never called (thankfully!) DH didn't work on the third day for about 3 months and then we got into a great little preschool after DS turned 2 for the other two days a week. It is such a shame only DH is within a hour of it as I would love to have there every single day :rolleyes: This year DS has been offered all 3 days in the big room but we have only accepted 2 to be able to at least have one day in the great school. I think one school is about $80 a day in fees and the other about $60. The dearer one supplies nearly everything and the cheaper ones supplies very little food or nappy wise.
I dont think we paid anything to waitlist him at any of the schools that I remember if I did it must have been a small amount under $50