Early learning centers ‘are reluctant to charge parents more than necessary’

By RNZ

Many early learning centers are looking to leverage their own cash-strapped resources to survive Covid-19, rather than raising fees for parents.

A survey by the Early Childhood Council showed that while a quarter would consider raising fees, just under half would not.

Early learning centers are partially dependent on government support, and some also charge parents a fee. However, as a result of the shutdown and with the children unable to attend, many stopped charging the fee and only rely on central support.

The executive director of the Early Childhood Council, Peter Reynolds, said that the pandemic has hit the centers hard, and that only a fifth of its members can access the salary subsidy.

He said many were reluctant to reintroduce, or even raise fees for parents to survive, which was not surprising.

“Child care centers certainly want to focus on the needs of the child and provide the best possible experience, so they will be reluctant to charge parents more than is necessary for the service to function properly.

“The pressure they are under right now by not charging parents a fee can be quite extreme.”

Although centers can apply for the grant, only a limited number have been eligible, reaching the threshold of a 40 percent drop in revenue.

The survey of Council members showed that only 19 percent were able to access the subsidy.

Meanwhile, Peter Reynolds said the Urgent Response Fund (URF), a $ 50 million pot, divided region by region, has greatly favored schools over early learning centers.

While only a quarter of the centers surveyed had applied for the fund, only 3 percent have been successful so far.

“What we are seeing is a pattern of approvals that are very favorable to the school. I am not suggesting for a moment that schools do not deserve support, they do, but to the extent that early childhood services are effectively being excluded. At bottom it is really disturbing and worrying.

“We don’t want them to broaden the criteria, what we want them to do is stick to the criteria as they were first outlined and ensure that people who have good ideas and who qualify for URF funding get their fair share.

“There are areas in New Zealand where that is clearly not happening. In one region alone, almost 90 percent of URF approvals that have been made have been given to schools.”

– RNZ