Daycare costs if it's cancelled?

I have an almost 4 yr old that is in pre-k at a private school. Tuition is pricey. Recently, there have been two separate incidents of a classmate/s testing positive for COVID. Obviously when this happens, the children are sent home for a week (the child has to either test negative to return or have been in school on a day when the positive child wasn’t there). My question is, if you pay tuition a month I’m advance and your child is not in school for a week or two out of the month, due to these unfortunate COVID circumstances, should parents still be required to pay for the entire month in advance?
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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. https://answers.mamasuncut.com/t/daycare-costs-if-its-cancelled/16290

Tough call, are children being offered online help?

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Why would you ask that question in here? That is a question for the school.

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Shouldn’t those days be credited?

My daughters preschool gives us credit for the week that they had to quarantine due to the exposure because their classroom is closed for that week .

You should call and ask. But they will probably say they still have to pay the bills to keep your kids spot in there school

Probably something to ask the school and I would be pissed if I had to pay for days my kid isn’t in class

Yes because the teachers still need to be paid :woman_shrugging:t3:

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If a classroom is shut down then obviously the staff are also not working so NO I do not think parents should pay in situations such as this, due to Covid classroom closures.

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We pay full fees if school is closed due to Covid. 2 different schools and rules are the same.

School should give credit. But thats a guestion for them

Nope and thats why my daughter was taken out of daycare. I shouldnt have to pay to “hold her spot or pay teachers” when her spot cant be given away for a classroom rhats shut down and teachers who arent teaching her due to another child getting sick. Best example i wont go to walmart and give them $600 bucks and leave with nothing and i wont do it with school either.

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Every school has a different policies on this.
Private schools normally require you to pay even for days unattended regardless of COVID.

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Its like daycare. You pay whether the child is there or not. Just how it is.

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From my experience, my son had to isolate for 14 days because of an exposure at the height of COVID, before the vaccine was out. We still had to pay. We fought it, but were told that we were paying to hold the spot. Didn’t sound right because it wasn’t like there was a waiting list, and they were in fact still advertising they had openings. They then changed the writing in the parent handbook to specifically include that scenario.

It doesn’t seem fair but yes you do have to pay. The school has utilities, mortgages, employees, curriculum, building & equipment repairs etc to pay for. They can’t fill your child’s spot with another child to fill that financial lack unless you pull your child out. Then theirs no guarantee they can fill it. They can’t tell the utility company they can’t pay because of covid or allow the heat, water, electric to get cut off. Most of the employees are salary, get covid pay or sick days so they have to pay them. They can’t afford not to get your tuition. Most likely you signed a contract stating that you will pay even if your child is absent for the entire year. This is so they can budget.

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Yes you need to… As crap as it is, you’re more or less paying in advance to keep your spot

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Depends on the agreement you signed…

Nop! We always pay in advance and my kids go to private pre k too. Its the 3rd time (2last year) & once this past week that a child from pre k was positive. We dont get any credit back. Every school its different. This year they even put all that information in the new enrollment sheets. And to be honest: I UNDERSTAND!! their employees need to get paid, facilities have utilities to pay, and many more stuff to pay. So :woman_shrugging:t2:. Maybe you should try an hourly babysitter or private babysitter at your home who can accepts maybe daily payments?

It’s going to depend on a lot of things. Just because a room closes doesn’t always mean the staff isn’t still required to work. It really depends on their policy about covid exposure. The best way to know is to just call and ask. Good luck!

Our childcare was kind enough not to charge us when they shutdown earlier this year. If paid in advance you would probally go into the next month as an advance.
Not all centres are like this tho

We pay my child’s daycare no matter how many days she is out sick (we were just out for two weeks due to covid). If you don’t want preschools and daycares to have to shut down, you might have to just pay.

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My child goes to kindercare and they dont charge if its due to covid

Why should the parents pay when the school is not allowing the child to show up. Not like the parents kept the child out and wanted to reserve their spot.p

I would actually look at the school website as to what their covit policy is
The NSW education dept
Has said schools will remain open reguardless of confirmed cases in the school
All students will be required to do 2 rat tests a week for the first 4 weeks of term 1
(Including day care and preschools)
If the rat shows positive
You are required to notify the principal and isolate for 7 days

Most places you must pay rather your child attends or not just to keep their spot to be enrolled. The daycare still runs rather your child attends or not and the bills don’t stop either. Just like regular schools just cause one kid doesn’t come to school or can’t doesn’t mean the rest don’t. Even with Covid and circumstances beyond your control or theirs most daycare’s don’t credit you and your responsible for payment rather they attend or not to keep your child’s spot. It’s worth asking but I highly doubt they will credit you. This is why so many left daycares and also why some shut down.

Daycares have costs. Payroll, utilities, food enough for 3 meals a day and 2 snacks, insurance,building maintenance, cleaning supplies art and school supplies. They still need money to keep running. Sounds like you’d benefit more with a private babysitter.

My daycare price stays the same no matter how much my son attends. I get billed every Monday for the week. If he goes one day that week then he goes one day that week if he goes for the whole week then he goes for the whole week. I’m paying for a full time slot not necessarily his care. We were out for a couple weeks because of covid and I still had to pay. It’s just how some facilities work.

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I still pay, he’s 4, a private Christian Preschool. Doesn’t matter how many days he’s not there

Yep you pay whether your child attends or not. It’s likely in your contract. It’s just how it works with tuition based places.

I disagree with these comments. If your child’s teacher is preparing work and sending it home with your child then they deserve to be paid and tuition is how that’s done.
As far as daycare: I don’t agree you should have to pay when child is out but most places you do as it’s part of the contract.

While I don’t think it is fair to have to pay for days your child can’t attend, I also understand how most childcare facilities would be out of business if they didn’t. I would either look for private childcare that doesn’t charge like that or a nanny/sitter and maybe some programs for learning and education if you go the nanny/sitter route.

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I have been on both sides of this… the only time I didn’t get charged for cars is when the county shut down their room…if it was just exposure I still had to pay full price

I say no, but they’ll claim they have to have it to hold the child’s spot.

For the daycare my daughter attends the week or weeks that they aren’t able to attend it’s half tuition that week

Yes. It is in your contract. Also most preschool have a COVID policy now as well. I would look in your hand book.

We still pay regardless if she is there or not.

When I had my childcare center I always gave 5 free days and 1 half price week for full time students per year.
I always explained to my parents…im running a business and just like anywhere where else I still have bills that need to be paid!
Most seasoned daycare parents understand how these
arrangements work and were very understanding about them. If there was an issue then they probably Weren’t a good fit for my daycare family! :wink::smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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You pay for the spot in the class/daycare. Its probably written in the small print in the contract you signed.

Just like if a daycare has a week off you may still be paying or that week as its part of the contract.

Ask the school not Facebook :joy:

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That’s how it works. You pay whether they are there or not.

That’s why I stopped sending my son to private preschool. He was catching every sickness possible & was missing too much school & we were still paying tuition. Then they decided to raise tuition by $100 & don’t even serve breakfast, lunch or snack. Sometimes money is all they care about. They also sent him home with a big bloody gash down his back- never even called, never mentioned it. They had too many kids to care or notice. So yea, they don’t care if you send them or not- they just want that money.

I had this exact situation. You’ll never know until you ask someone higher up at the school. I asked the principal who said he’d take it to the school board. Unfortunately it went no where and we received no credit for tuition. I just keep telling myself we’ve got one more year until my child is old enough for public school.

I see both sides. But sometimes tuition is used to help pay for an employees salary.

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Most likely you have a contract with the school, and similarly to a private daycare, if your child is out for health reasons, you still pay for that time.

If your child isn’t the one that’s positive, just test and send them back to school so that you’re not paying for time that they aren’t there.

These comments are another reason daycare will never be a thing for these kids :laughing:

Yes to keep the spot at daycare you have to pay

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Morally no, you shouldn’t have to pay, but yeah, it’s kind of the norm to pay if they have to isolate. It sucks as you’re also missing work usually too. It also greatly depends on where you live.

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That’s how it works. It’s unfortunate, but private schools use tuition to pay the teachers and upkeep.
My sons school gets zero state funding so everything they need to do: repairs to the building, new parking lot, salaries… everything is dependent on tuition being paid.

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Paying holds that child’s spot in the class. It was so hard to get parents to understand this when I was a daycare director. That payment also helps pay the teachers/staff salary and bills of the facility.

I believe you are required because the school still have to pay teachers, electricity, etc…. I see you side and would hate to pay for a service and dont use it, but in other hand thats how it works. Good lucky

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My kids are in regular daycare and if they are sent home due to covid reasons I don’t pay

My daycare would waive the week that was missed if it was them who decided to close. Not sure how it would work if you pay in advance. They should be able to apply it to the next month. If it was me who had to take my son out for the week, tuition was still due to hold his spot.

Most daycares will charge whether the kid is there or not. Think of it like a lease or rent. If you are gone on vacation for a week you still have to pay for your car and your home.

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That would be a question for the school…

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Yes, they always make you pay, even for stat holidays we would need to pay.

Hi , daycare teacher here . Staff doesn’t get paid when we are because of students or ourselves testing positive . However , at my school the first positive case in that classroom for the school year is a week of no tuition . During this first case teachers get paid . But every time after that parents are responsible for payment and teachers go without pay . I actually asked about the fairness of it all and was told , they are doing everything they can to stay open . And they can only afford once per room . They have to keep a certain mouth of money back incase something on the outdoor play ground / indoor playground/ regular classrooms , need something . She said she’s also seen a lot of improvement after the first classroom is shut down everyone in that room seems to be doing safer things . Less sick children . But there’s also a down side some are refusing to have their children tested so they could be walking around the school spreading it. Basically paying that tuition is keeping the doors open to make sure your child has somewhere to go too.

We still have to pay too.

If we shut down the classroom. They don’t have to pay. In the being classrooms got shut down if there was a case in the room . We are not shutting down rooms anymore unless there is alot of cases in a room. They are doing a tuition reduction if you stay home because of covid.

i sure wouldn’t pay on days they don’t give me service. but Thats why my kids aren’t in day care.

a day care here in 2020 was closed for covid and still charged parents. well that did not go over well for them.

Heck no!!! I tell them outright… I can’t afford to pay for school and my child not be able to go to school! I need to work to make my bills!

Unfortunately where we live we’re in the same situation and we had to pay both times and are child was negative both times.

It should have been stated clearly at the beginning of the year in your paperwork if you would be responsible for payment or not.

No, that’s ridiculous

I would say no. But the government would say different

You usually pay to “hold the spot” we pay still too it sucks but at the end of the day they need to keep the heat/Ac, refrigeration and electricity running even if not in school.

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yes at my daughters preschool we have to pay even if they close. They are only open 2 weeks in December and still have to pay full price. You usually are paying for the spot in the class not pay per day they go.

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That would be up to school policy; however, if your child is out for a week or two, then I would think you should be entitled to a Pro-rated refund due to circumstances beyond yours or anyone’s control. Act of God type clause in your agreement.

Most daycares and schools charge when the child isn’t there to keep the spot for the child. You still pay rent on your home if you go on vacation don’t you?

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I wouldn’t like to pay a month ahead but this exact instance has happened to us, and we’ve been reimbursed. I hope at least that is happening. I can imagine they prob keep it that way bc the income covers for outgoing expenses, bills, payroll etc

Yes…even daycare your paying for them to hold your spot.

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Yes, it pays for the teachers income.

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It depends on their policy you should have signed it at the beginning when you signed up for the school

The covid policy at our school is that tuition is* paid even during covid outbreaks. We’ve had several outbreaks but only the positive cases are sent home and school remains with no shutdowns so far. We’re in FL so policies are lax here in general. They should’ve provided some sort of policy to confirm.

If the school itself shuts down you should not have to pay. If your child is unable to go because they have covid yes you should have to pay

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No you shouldn’t have to pay the entire amount that’s ridiculous.

Still have to pay , they are letting you keep your kids spot there but then they have to be paid to keep daycare open. Should be paperwork you signed when your child started there, it should be on that .

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Unfortunately, your at the mercy of whatever the daycare’s policy is. You can try to argue it, but they still have overhead to pay themselves and they are “holding your spot”. It sucks.

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My daycare always made us pay for everything whether they closed or had vacation or anything.

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There’s usually wording in the contract regarding this when you sign up. At most daycares I’ve used the parents only get a week or maybe 2 for the year where they don’t pay, for vacation. There is also a set amount of time the daycare will close for their vacation time and don’t expect payment for that week (or two) whatever it is. Otherwise yes. You pay, no matter the circumstances.

Yes the entire month in advanced but they should reimburse those days missed.

When this happened at my sons school we still had to pay but it was only the amount to cover teacher pay for those two weeks. so it was something like 60% of the cost. Yeah it sucks to potentially be out of work and or have to pay someone else to babysit on top of tuition but it’s not the teachers’ fault the school is shut down either so I can see why they would still charge.

I’d just switch daycares or find a private babysitter if they required full payment yet don’t allow the child there. If u do have to pay send them anyways since you are paying for a service it should be provided .

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Had the exact same situation and yes, we had to pay full tuition despite not having care for the week.

Yes. It’s a contract you made with the private school to pay for the tuition. Remember this pays teachers salaries and building utility bills.

Usually, yes. Normally policy won’t cover them being out, cost is set as is and them being out a week or two is kinda just on you. :frowning: In most cases. Check policies though.

So, I found out through the director of the school that we will be credited for the time my son is not in school due to a COVID shutdown. It’s only fair, especially when he’s out of school for a week or more.

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It seems like there should be government Covid money available to pay for this. Daycare might be double dipping. I’d have to check into this.

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I have paid for a total of 6 weeks of daycare while my son was home sick (not all at once but overall). It sucks but the cost is the cost. The daycare still has operating costs. You pay for the ‘spot’ not the days

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Yes. Its to hold their spots

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We still have to pay even if children aren’t in attendance

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They should credit you for those days in the next bill.

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I’ve always paid whether they attended or not.

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Unfortunately they make you pay which is BS. Child care is so out of control. Something really needs to be done about it

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Yes they should because the teachers and staff still have to be paid. Electric and other bills have to be paid. You’ve apparently never had a child in daycare. You are paying for a “spot”.

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Yes. U have to pay in advance no matter what.

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Yes you pay for the spot. They still have all their regular bills to pay whether your child attends or not.

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We had the same situation happen recently. We had to pay still but paid like vacation rate. So its a portion of the regular rate.

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You pay for the spot, not the attendance

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If my child is out for exposure outside of the school, then yes. If they have to close the classroom, then we get credited for the days they cannot attend.

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