Anyone from Australia - Please help me

Hi PRSS, i just replied to your query. No have not got ajob. Just in the process of applying(175). Need to get my Skills assessed by the AACA.
Wanted to prepare myself before anything else. can you help me please?

 

Maybe , am not sure...will chec with my agent....for now we are getting my skills assessed. all the best to u too!!

 

Hello Flames 123

Apologies for the late reply.. I don't visit here regularly and hence the reason for not replying all these days. I guess PRSS has helped you with your queries too. In any case let me add, I am working but I don't have kids. There are good day care centres and they are not cheap. I have heard friends say $75 per day. All my friends have kids and they manage it all themselves. It may all sound too much but you will find your way. Yes life will be busy for sure. Once kids grow up, then things will get a bit easier on some fronts, but then you will get busy with tuitions etc and always taking them around for sports and other activities..I always wonder how all the mothers do it, but they do it. And so can you! So don't worry.

 

Hi k2s, Thanks for your reply. I have been going through a site called living in victoria.gav.au (or something to that effect) ..i was looking at the prices of day care etc. i also saw prices of AuPairs as 80-120 dollars/ week, which in my opinion is pretty cheap compared to other daycare services. esp. considering the fact that i have 3 kids...which is good, so why are ppl not using those services, any particular reason? rather than spending like 70dallrs/ day/child which is exorbitant....and pretty useless then if i am going to be putting so much of my earning into just daycare.Secondly what are the working (normal ) hours like in Australia? is it 8-5? if yes and if kids schools close at sat 3:30 or so...are they safe being there at home till parents get home or do i have to arrange that separately?
sorry for the questions...but honestly besides care for my kids i dont really see any other real "issues" with my relocating...am a hard worker so am ready to work hard on all aspects...just need to get the whole kids care issue sorted

 

I am planning to move now and will be taking my family later .....
BUT am looking at the answers for these too...

 

You seem like a very patient person and not yelling at me for not answering for such a long time. Sorry! Like I told you before, I don't come here as often as before.

Your question about $80 - $120 per week...well, I am not sure about this at all. I remember one member (in this same thread I think) has moved to Melbourne with her children. I wonder if she will come in to share her experience. The best I can do is ask around and find out from my friends with kids. Will let you know if I have something useful. But yes, parents do spend a lot on daycare here.

The work timings - it depends on your arrangement with the employer. 8:30am to 5:00pm is kinda the usual. Here there is something called After-school care and Before-school care, where some kids spend time, while the parents make their way back to home or go to work (as the case maybe). Yes there is a cost to it which I suppose depends on each school's facility. It is all a juggling act as far as parents are concerned. While the mother drops the children at school or before-care, and father picks them up in the evening, or the vice-versa. Some parents start work early so that they can leave early and pick up their kids. Most of the employers are flexible and they do understand. It is not all that big an issue to consider backing off, if you know what I mean.


The children below a certain age are not allowed legally to stay alone at home. Now I don't remember the age limit - maybe 14 years or something. You will have to check that. Safety - I think it is upto us parents to teach our kids what they should do and should not do.

I know this is not the answer you may be looking for, but so much from my piece of world that I can share. Let me check with friends around about the 80 - 120 dollar question. Hope to get back to you with some information.

 

There is a good reason why women use daycares rather than au pairs for full time childcare of young children. I believe there are legal limitations to the number of hours that an au pair can work (from memory I think it's a maximum of 30 hours a week). They must also come in through an approved au pair program - you can not just hire anyone. The countries that they are recruited from are usually European or from the US. Usually they are fairly young girls in their late teens or early twenties who come to help mothers at home who have just had new babies, who work part-time or full-time working mums with older children in school etc. They will expect time off to travel, weekends off and also to go out in the evenings with their friends when they are not working. Their household duties other than looking after children are light. No cooking - except snacks for the kids- and no heavy cleaning. That is, they are not a maid. Within Australian culture, they are treated more as an exchange student. If they are not happy with the family, the agency will place them immediately with another family.

Daycare centers can range from about $55 in outlying areas to up to $110 a day in the inner city areas. Which makes some of them more expensive than the most exclusive private schools! Luckily, there is a 50% rebate when both parents are working. If your household income is also under a certain amount, you may be entitled to even more money back through the Childcare Benefit Scheme. Hiring a nanny is also an option however there is no rebate for using them at the moment and their rates can be quite expensive ($22-28 an hour). It can only work out cheaper if they are caring for three or more children under school age. Another popular option is home daycare because it is very inexpensive (around $6 an hour per child) and the child will be in a home environment with up to three other children . The scheme is run by local councils but spots are often very limited as they find it hard to attract carers who have appropriate homes. There are other options like this website

Nanny, Babysitting, Babysitter, Baby sitter - Find A Babysitter

It is good because you are more likely to find another Indian mother who wants a bit of pocket money whilst she cares for her own kids. Food and culture will be familiar. The slight downside is that you will be taking a risk that the house may not be safe and also the person is not certified by any authorities. It is essential in that case (or any case) that you ask for references or make a visit to her place the first time. Also, I am not sure of the legalities when it comes to insurance etc. I suspect that there would be no recourse in the event of an accident (eg child falling off balcony or such). Also, once the children reach past the age of three, you can enrol them in a formal pre-school. Some do take the children for five days a week but the more common arrangement is three days a week from 9-3. They are cheaper than daycares (around $35-40 a day) but the waiting lists are very, very long in most cases. It is not unknown for parents to put their kids name down for a good preschool as soon as they are born!

Anyway, hope it all helps! One excellent option with the small kids which many, many families employ is to bring their parents/inlaws over on six month stints If you are lucky enough to be able to do this, I would strongly recommend it. They will also find lots of company.