That’s a bit rich! Young mother shocked after being fined $55 for arriving ONE MINUTE late to pick up her daughter from daycare
- Parents are already forking out thousands of dollars on childcare every year
- Mother was fined $55 for arriving a minute late to pick up daughter from daycare
- The New Zealand woman said she thought the penalty fees seemed ‘a lot’
Parents are already forking out thousands of dollars on childcare every year.
And to put families under even more financial strain, one mother has been hit in the hip pocket after she was fined $55 for arriving one minute late to pick up her daughter from daycare.
The New Zealand woman said the penalty fees seemed ‘a lot’ after she arrived 60 seconds past closing time, NZ Stuff reported.
A New Zealand mother has been hit in the hip pocket after she was fined $55 for arriving one minute late to pick up her daughter from daycare (stock image)
It’s common for daycare centres to charge any parent or guardian a late fee if they collect their child past closing time, with the average cost of $1 per minute after the first 10 or 15 minutes.
‘We don’t charge it straight away. If someone is late getting their child, we’d certainly give them a chance first,’ a spokesperson for the daycare told the publication.
Most childcare facilities in New Zealand and Australia specify they have two educators who remain on duty until all the children are collected.
The New Zealand woman said the penalty fees seemed ‘a lot’ after she arrived 60 seconds past closing time (stock image)
Any parent or guardian picking up their child after 6pm will be charged a late fee to prevent any late collection from happening again.
The standard fee in Australia to be charged is calculated at $15 for the first 15 minutes – and after 6.15pm a charge of $1 per minute applies.
After a late fee has been charged three times, the parent or guardian may be notified that their child’s place will be terminated.
‘I work In early childhood in Australia, and the late fees of parents go directly to the staff left waiting, and the parents need to stop and get cash out to pay on pick up,’ one employee said.
‘It rarely happens as we give chances, it happens to the parents who are late all the time.’
Another early childcare worker chimed in: ‘To tell the truth, some parents just take the Micky. If your child’s booked in from 10am till 5pm, don’t rock up at 11.30am and expect to collect your child at 6.30pm or 7pm.
‘I have a life outside of my job and a family of my own… simply if you don’t wanna pay the late fee then turn up on time.’
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