4240.0.55.002 - National Early Childhood Education and Care Collection: Data Collection Guide, 2012  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/03/2013   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All  

PRESCHOOL PROGRAM FEES CHARGED

Technical name: Child - preschool program fees charged per week, total Australian currency N[N(8)]
METeOR identifier: 436106
METeOR link: <http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/436106>
METeOR definition: The actual tuition fees charged for the child to attend the preschool program at this service per week, measured in Australian dollars.

Scope

Inclusions: Fees charged based on the number of hours the child is enrolled to receive a preschool program in the reference week, for all children enrolled in a preschool program.
Exclusions:

  • Fees charged for the child to attend non-preschool programs with the service provider, such as out of school hours care.
  • Voluntary contributions, donations or additional charges (e.g. levies or meals) for service components.
  • Discounts or fee relief available to parents/guardians.
  • Children not enrolled in a preschool program.

Underlying Concepts

Concept: Fees charged.
Nominal definition: The tuition fees charged for the child's enrolment in a preschool program.
Operational definition: Consistent with nominal definition.
Supporting data elements: Fees reported should be based on the number of hours the child is enrolled to receive the preschool program. Therefore the following is a supporting data element:

Conceptual issues:
Fees charged will provide information to identify and record the affordability of preschool programs by identifying out of pocket costs to the parent or guardian towards the payment of tuition fees for the child to attend the preschool program.

Standard Jurisdictional Output Categories

Representation class: Total
Data type: Currency
Format: N[NNNNNN].NN, for example: 12.55
Maximum character length: 9
Unit of measure: Australian currency (AU$)
Supplementary values:
    0.00 - No fees charged
    9999 - Not stated/inadequately described

2.1.11 LEGAL VALUE CHECKS


Edit specificationsEdit resolution

1. If field is blank.Provide a valid preschool fee, otherwise amend to ‘0.00’ for nil fee charged or code ‘9999’ for unknown.

2.If character length is greater than 9.Provide a valid preschool fee.

3.If field does not include a cent value.Provide a valid preschool fee.



Guide for Use

Counting rules:
  • Fees reported should be based on the number of hours the child is enrolled to receive the preschool program.
  • If fees are charged on a per term or per year basis, the pro-rata equivalent weekly fee should be derived by taking into account the weeks per term and/or weeks per year of the preschool program the child is enrolled to receive.
  • If subsidies are included in the calculation of the fees charged to the child, report the fees charged after deducting subsidies.
  • If the child is eligible for additional fee discount, report the fees after the additional discount.
  • Only count the fees charged for the child to attend the preschool program. Do not count fees charged for the child to attend other programs with the service provider, such as out of school hours care.
  • Voluntary contributions should be excluded, as should donations or additional charges for service components such as nappy supplies, meals or transportation.
  • Jurisdictions which adopt a two week reference period are required to derive their data to a representative week.

Classification Definitions

CODE 0.00 - No fees charged
For use when there are no fees charged for the child's attendance at the preschool program.

CODE 9999 - Not stated/inadequately described
For use when the tuition fees are unknown, not stated or inadequately described. Where the tuition fees are not stated or inadequately described, the ABS requests that jurisdictions identify the reason for the unknown response and document any follow-up processes undertaken.

Other Information

Related aggregate data elements: Weekly tuition fee schedule amount.



Previous PageNext Page