Child Care Fee Singapore

In Singapore, sending your child to the child care centre is not cheap. The monthly school fee for a full day child care service alone can be as high as $2,300 which is more than what some parents can earn in a month.

Other than the monthly school fee, parents will also have to pay for the registration fee, uniform, field trip and transportation. Furthermore, parents may have to pay additional fees for enrichment classes, Goods and Services Tax (GST), insurance and the mattress and mattress cover.

Child care fee- Monthly fee

The bulk of the child care cost is the monthly fee payable to the child care centre. The fee for a full day child care service can range from $380 a month to $2300 a month before child care subsidy.

In most areas in Singapore, the average monthly fee for a full day child care service is about $800 to $900. However, in areas like Bukit Timah, the average monthly fee is around $1350. Similarly, in central business districts, the average monthly fee is much higher at $1500 or more.

In general, the monthly fee charged by voluntary welfare organization (VWO) child care centres is the lowest. VWO child care centres are able to lower their fee due to lower rental and help from the volunteers.

The fee charged by the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) child care centres is also among the lowest. However, if your child is not a Singapore citizen, you will have to pay a higher fee.

The fee charged by child care centres under the Anchor Operator (AOP) Scheme such as My First Skool and E-Bridge is also lower at around $700 to $900. However, anchor operator My First Skool also charge a higher fee for foreigners in some of their branches.

It should be noted that the monthly fee for a half-day child care service is usually more than 75% of the fee for a full day child care service.

Child care fee-Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Child care centres will usually charge a Goods and Services Tax (GST) on top of the monthly child care fee, registration fee and other fees like insurance. In Singapore, all business entity will have to register for GST when taxable turnover exceeded 1 million for the past 12 months.

Like any other products or services, the GST is 7% of the fee charged.

Only a small number of child care centres do not charge GST for the child care fee.

Child care fee-Registration fee

Registration fee is the fee payable when you register your child for a place at the child care centre. This will be a one-off fee.

The amount can vary from 15 dollars to a few hundred dollars.

Some child care centres will waive the registration fee if you sign up at their open house or other events.

Child care fee-Fee for enrichment classes

Enrichment programs such as phonics, abacus, speech and drama lessons at many of the child care centres are usually offered by a third party. If you would like to sign your child up for these programs, you will have to pay an additional fee for it.

However, in some branded child care centres that charge a higher fee, enrichment programs may be part of the curriculum and parents do not need to pay an additional fee for them.

Hence, it is important for parents to check if such enrichment programs that you want your child to go for are part of the curriculum or not.

Child care fee-Field trip

It is common for child care centres to organize field trips to indoor playgrounds, the zoo, River Safari, Jurong Bird Park or public parks as part of the curriculum.

Each field trip will usually cost parents at least $10.

Child care fee-Transportation fee

If the child care centre is located away from the neighbourhood estates, operators of the child care centres will usually arrange transportation for children who stay relatively far from the school.

Hence, if you would like to enrol your child into a child care centre that is far from your house or office, you will have to factor in the monthly transportation fee into your total cost.

Child care fee-Uniform

Most child care centres will require the children to wear their school uniform.

However, school uniform costs a significant amount. Each set (T-shirt + pant or skirt) can cost around $50. Normally, you will need to buy four sets as your child will need two sets of uniform for one day.

Furthermore, when your child grows out of the uniform, you will need to buy new ones to replace.

Child care fee-Mattress and mattress cover

Mattress and mattress covers are usually optional. However, for hygiene reasons, you would most likely want to buy a mattress and mattress cover for your child. This will cost you around $50 to $100 in total.

Child care fee-Insurance

Insurance is usually optional.

However, if you would like to purchase the insurance, it will cost you about $3 to $10 per year.

Child care fee-Stationery and water bottles

A school bag and a water bottle is usually the minimum you need to prepare for your child to attend child care centre.

Child care fee-Others

Nowadays, it is common for children to celebrate their birthdays with their classmates at the child care centre. If you would like to celebrate your child's birthday at the school, you will need to buy a large birthday cake (the birthday cake will be served as the dessert for the children in the afternoon) and prepare sets of gifts for your child's classmates.

Most parents will buy stationery as gifts for the children as recommended by the child care centre teachers. Although stationery may not be expensive, you will need to prepare more than 10 sets. If your child is in a big class, you will have to prepare more than 30 sets.

The total cost of the birthday cake and the gifts will be around two hundred dollars.

For some parents, they might give Ang Bao to their children's classmates during Chinese New Year, but this practice is not common at the moment.

Lastly, as an appreciation for the teachers' love and care towards your child, you may buy gifts for the teachers during teacher's day, Christmas or other significant festivals.

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