You set Your Own Rate!

Generally Educators charge between $8.00 and $10.00 per child per hour. Therefore, if you care for 4 children and charge $10 per hour per child you would earn $40 per hour. There are also tax advantages to being a Dream Educator.

You set your own hourly rate and this will depend on your experience, location and what you offer. Pick up and drop offs may be charged at a higher rate, providing food or specialist training in an area can also incur a higher rate. Under two year olds are sometimes charged at a higher rate as are small hours of enrolment. You can base it on the unique learning environment you provide and market rates for care in the region where it is being provided.

Four

You can have up to 4 children at one time but no more than 2 less than two years old. You can also have two extra school aged children. Your Visiting Teacher will let you know how many children your home can be licensed for when they do the Health and Safety Audit on your home.

Your families will pay their amount directly on a date you agree with them. Dream will pay you the agreed subsidies. Dream makes the reimbursements to you each fortnight or as agreed with Dream at time of enrolment. This is paid on a Thursday night, available for you on Friday morning.

Yes

As a Dream Educator you are Self Employed. However, the Dream finance team are here to help you.  Your Visiting Teacher can discuss this with you in more detail. When you have children start in your care, you will need to document, each week the payments you receive from parents. ACC is not required to be paid until you submit your first tax return.

Yes

Dream is licenced by the Ministry of Education. Parents apply for 20 ECE at the time of enrolment. All 3 and 4 year old are entitled to this, along with children who are 5 years old and not enrolled in school. Ask your Visiting Teacher about this.

You are deemed self-employed so if you would like to have holiday, it is your choice. You will need to give your parents a minimum of two weeks’ notice. Alternative arrangements can be made for the children to be placed with an alternative Educator during this time if available. Parents are not liable for payment and you will not receive the WINZ and ECE payments while you are unavailable to work.

Yes Open Communication 

You will need to explain to the parent that lateness is not tolerated and you may apply a late fee for the time incurred. The enrolled hours are what you are paid/reimbursed for and so collection of a late fee is up to the individual Educator.

If a parent is early, explain to them that you cannot have the child in your care until the agreed time, unless they would like to pay you for it.

When a child is sick and absent, the parent is still required to pay the Educator the agreed amount. The parent needs to let the Educator know prior to the agreed start time that they are absent for the day and the reason why.

Word of mouth is the best way to advertise yourself. Ask around who has children at home, ask your friends, family, or strangers at the supermarket!  Dream will also support you with marketing materials and refer children to you if you have availability.

We will also market you on our Social Media and Website.

Dream is a premium, quality agency and has been providing childcare services to Kiwi families for almost 20 years. The Dream Team are here to support you every step of the way.

Yes

Ask your Visiting Teacher for resources that you are wanting. If we can help with the request, we will.