There are many families who have small children but cannot afford to take time off work to mind them throughout the day. For single-parent families, this pressure is double if not more. Child care is a great option for parents in this situation because it lets you use professional services to care for kids in a personal way, helping them achieve growth in both rudimentary academic fields and in social situations. However, getting your kid into child care is not always so easy, and you might have to pay more for it than you can realistically afford. Here are three ways you can try and fit child care into your weekly budget.
Government Assistance
You would be surprised at how many people feel uncomfortable using government assistance even when they fit the bill perfectly. It is there for times like this and is there to support people who are in a tough position. You can apply for a child care subsidy that could be anything from minor assistance to several hundred dollars a week. This will depend on your financial income, age of your child, type of care needed and so on. In any case, you should always check to see if you are eligible for the government child care subsidy.
Not For Profit Groups
In addition to the government, there are many non-profit organisations that work with struggling families. You are not alone and there are people out there who want to help you. In fact, there are so many groups out there on a national and state level that they require a list to keep them all together and you can find that here. Remember that just because you are ineligible for one does not mean you will be automatically ineligible for all of them. Keep trying!
Work Assistance
Depending on the industry you work in you may be able to claim some assistance from your work. While your average mum and pop shop will not have much of an ability to help you larger corporations often have more resources at their disposal. Some offices offer child care services and if they don't perhaps you could raise the issue with them. Workplaces love making the office environment more approachable to people and the introduction of child care is not that far fetched an idea. You may even be able to negotiate a raise out of this situation so that you can better afford child care offsite. It never hurts to ask!
Share22 November 2019
Finding a nursery that provides a stimulating and safe environment for your child can feel like a daunting task. I've used nurseries for all four of my children, and as my husband's job requires him to move around the country frequently, I have gone through the process of selecting a suitable nursery around fifteen times. I started this blog to provide a parent's view of nursery care and share practical tips you can use when choosing a nursery for your child. My posts cover a number of topics, such as spotting red flags, working in partnership with nursery staff, preparing your child for starting nursery and asking prospective nurseries for the right information. I hope you find my blog useful and informative.