Experience with Occasional Care

[30sumthin]

Just curious about occasional care and how it works. I am a full time SAHM but am finding it all a bit too much and would like a break every now and then just to get my head straight.

Do you have to get on a waiting list? Can you do small blocks of time instead of the whole day? I really don't have the slightest idea how it works but heard someone mention it recently. Thanks

[abibelsmum]

I put my daughter in occasional care just before she turned 2. She would go 1 morning a week which I later increased to all day to get her ready for preschool. Most kids there had permanent bookings, but you could ring up a few days before and request extra time if they had any which I also used. I had to pay a registration fee and then the time she was there.

[Gothel]

I sent my two to occasional care from about a year old and it was AWESOME! I used to hang out for the days they were going lol. (you know what i mean :])

I had a choice of two locally. One was a per-hour arrangement, so if I had an appointment I could just drop them in (as long as there was a place). Most kids seemed to stay for decent blocks of time though.

The other took permanent bookings only, and had a 3 or 5 hour option every weekday. I was invoiced every term, and if we missed a day we could have a makeup session. Both the girls went to the short session one morning a week, and then when they got a bit older they did the long session. There was a waiting list but it wasn't too bad.

Actually there was a third one in the local gym, they booked the kids in for a block of time while the parents did gym classes. I hated that centre, every hour there were all these pick-ups and drop-offs, the staff had no time to do anything with the kids other than feed and change them.

So I think it just depends on the centre as to what way they organise the hours. Not all centres have the childcare rebate but if you are a sahm you may not be eligible anyway. And I think most occ care places don't provide food, and charge $8-9 an hour (around where I live anyway)

If you can afford it, I say go for it! I loved it, my girls loved it and it was worth every penny

[MummbearPapabearNCubs]

My son goes once a week for 5 hours, it used to be 3 hours but now the place he goes to you have a choice if its a 5 hours session or 3 hour session. I use this time to clean the house, get things done, run errands, appointments, even spend some time with dh as he finishes work early some days. He loves going and he's been going since he was 6 months. My youngest daughter used to go too until she started school. The place I use there was a waiting list, though I was lucky and one if the children stopped going so we got in straight away (well that was with my daughter, son had to wait a bit longer).