How much does childcare cost in Sydney?

[ninedragons]

I saw in the SMH today about the collapse of ABC, so I am assuming that all the private childminders who had spaces have suddenly filled up, but realistically, what would I be looking at for childcare?

My boss has offered to move my job from the Shanghai office to the Sydney office. I am thrilled about this as I love my company and miss my job, but I have to work out what the difference is between what I'd get paid and what I'd pay for childcare.

I'd love a one-on-one or one-on-two private childminder. DD has only been cared for by me so far so I wouldn't like to chuck her into a big, busy nursery.

How old is DD? I was looking at after school care today (in a very lazy, maybe at some point way) and one of the documents that came up in my search indicated that "long day care" was about $85 per day for an under 2 and $65 over. It also said that family day care started at $5.90 an hour - I haven't done the sums but obviously that's a lot less. Personally I wouldn't do nursery for an under 2 - mine (in the UK) were always with childminders when I worked and they were little. I appreciate people don't always have the luxury of choice though.

She's only 9 months, so I'd probably only work part-time to start with.

Do you know if I would get the tax rebate if I used a private childminder, or is it just for people who use pre-schools and nurseries?

If you use a registered childminder (family day care) you do get the tax rebate.

I am looking into doing this - being a childminder. But I am in Melbourne...

If you look on the local council website for your area (when you get here) they list all the family day care businesses in the area.

With regards to the ABC childcare centres I think that the government is looking to bail them out.

Thanks for that - it's much more feasible to work if I do get the tax rebate.

I thought yesterday that the government would have to step in, just to forestall the chaos of hundreds of thousands of people not turning up for work.

I do think they should ask the Singapore government for reimbursement - isn't ABC part-owned by Temasek?