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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

After lots of scientific research (Mumsnet) I have decided (with asking DH) that we are moving to New Zealand . Can you help?

63 replies

KatyMac · 18/10/2008 22:11

I need to know about
Childcare
Housing
Healthcare
Asthma/hayfever
Ballroom Dancing
Sailing
& food

So can anyone help with any info?

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KatyMac · 20/10/2008 14:06

Oh - that makes sense

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KatyMac · 20/10/2008 14:24

Can anyone tell me more about this ad?

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KatyMac · 20/10/2008 23:13

Spoke to a very nice lady today who says it is possible, not tremendously easy & that I will need either a degree or shed loads of money

So now we are having a think

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twentypence · 21/10/2008 09:42

You will need to have a Diploma in ECE or equivalent to work in a preschool - but I don't know if you need one to own one. But it wouldn't be very cost effective if you couldn't count towards the ratios.

KatyMac · 21/10/2008 10:07

OK so I can look at equivalents of that in the UK

I wonder if what I have counts

(I agree about ratios btw)

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KatyMac · 21/10/2008 10:09

I found this so I can find out lots of regulatory info (I hope I'm in the right place)

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KatyMac · 21/10/2008 10:13

Actually I think I need a basic explanation of the different types of childcare

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twentypence · 21/10/2008 19:57

For preschool children

There are lots of preschools. Chains include Kindercare, ABC. They have 2 or 3 rooms divided into under and over 2s, but the curriculum is divided 3 ways and so those with the room have under 2s, 2-3.5 and 3.5 to school age (which is your 5th birthday or the next school day after it).

Some include food, most don't and parents send a snack box. They are open long hours, some 7am until 6pm. Most open some variation of that start or finish to suit the local market.

A childminder here is called a home educator. You can have up to 4 chidren in your care and the parents pay you direct (about $4.50 per child), there is a Govt subsidy for preschool children and I think this gets spent on helping you get your home childproofed, giving you car seats and cots etc.

The Govt introduced 20 hours free ECE for age 3 and 4, though I missed all but a term of this so don't really know how it works.

Some children go to kindergarten which is much shorter hours (3 afternoons a week at 3. Five morning about 6 months before you start school). I don't think you can open a private kindergarten.

School Age

Most schools have an after school OSCAR programme from 3-5.30 or 6pm. Some schools have a before school programme. They take place in a building at the school or the library, but can be accessed by all of the local community. Some soft play places pick up by bus and run their own programme. Parents pay, but there are Govt subsidies if your income is under a certain level.

In the school holidays OSCAR run programmes during school hours, which involve trips out to the theatre, the swimming pool etc. There are by necessity a lot more of these than the after school programmes.

I have not come across a child minder who offers after school care. To do this you need a nanny it seems.

KatyMac · 21/10/2008 20:01

Interesting - I wonder if I could move as a Childminder I am sure that is something I am well qualified as

TBH it is what I would like to continue doing $4.50 an hour seems quite low Max - $18 an hour which is about £6.50....gulp

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twentypence · 21/10/2008 20:50

Those were the rates when I last looked, they may have gone up. $18 is $6 per hour over the minimum wage however and NZ is a very attractive country to be self employed in. Whilst there is no 0% tax bracket you can write off a percentage of your mortgage interest, rates, house insurance, car (lots of ways depending on how many km you do), phone bill, internet access etc. I think the home based educator services are really set up to support people who are taking in an extra couple of children whilst their own children are young.

As you know what you are doing I am sure you could claim the money from the ministry of education yourself and set up privately. Then there is no money going to the middle man.

KatyMac · 21/10/2008 20:56

Well maybe not as after an evening of reading it looks very unlikely that we could come unless someone dies and leaves us shedloads of money

I need an early years degree plus my QTS which I don't have
They won't count my NVQ3 in either business or childcare & education
They don't really want DH as he is too old & could only come as a dependent

My best bet is for DD to become famous or talented and move using her Child modelling anyone?

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twentypence · 21/10/2008 22:47

My music teaching diploma is not recognised as a teaching qualification here (despite it being an NZ qualification). So I am limited to working in each school for a couple of hours each week. In the UK I would be fine to work in private schools, but here it's be NZ registered or forget about it.

Not a week goes by however without the faceless "them" moaning that they don't have enough teachers/nurses/dental techs/electricians/sonographers. Well accept some bloody other qualification and experience and just give us a test to check that we are okay to work here.

I would retrain, but I can't be spending $1000s dollars on it when I have already paid to train once.

So I understand your frustration.

KatyMac · 22/10/2008 16:40

I just feel very sad

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