Community-based early childhood centres, often organise fundraising activities to raise additional funds for a specific project and ask for parent-help (e.g., to build a new playground or replace a roof).
Services may also ask parents to take part in a working-bee after-hours or be on the parent-helper roster for cleaning, washing, preparing art materials, and doing other such tasks one day or month or more or less often.
Volunteering for their child’s ECE service is something that parents universally accept as a good thing to do. But not all parents are in a position where they have time or are able to help when the service requests. An ECE service may make volunteering compulsory by asking parents to pay a levy if they cannot help out.
Advice to parents on paying a parent-help charge
If you are unable to help out at this time, say you will next time.
Helping out is voluntary and ethically it is not right for a service to put a dollar value to helping and charge a parent in lieu of helping. Check your enrolment agreement and what you have agreed to pay. Also check the service’s fee schedule.
