GTCC Fees

Child Care Rates:

The rates charged by Growing Together Child Care cover care being available between the contracted drop-off and pick-up times. You pay for the contracted opportunity for care to be available, whether you choose to use the hours available or not. Rates are figured to reflect the local communities school calendar, vacation days, personal days, and ages. Rates are reviewed and adjusted annually with the current State of Maine Market Rate and cost of living being considered. General practice is to have the new annual rate going into effect on the first Monday in Sept. Clients will be notified of any rate change at least 1 month prior to them going into effect. In an emergency situation that calls for an unplanned rate increase clients will be provided with information specific to the increase and given at least a 2 week notice.

With payment for care being due the week before care is provided, any new rate payment will be owed by Friday of the week before care is provided. Example: new rate starts Sept. 2, 2024. Payment to cover that week of care would be due by Friday, August 30, 2024.

Rates cover:

  • availability of care, not hours of direct care
  • morning and afternoon snacks within the program
  • nutritious lunch
  • non-prescription formula for infants
  • diaper wipes and creams
  • sun lotion
  • general supplies/maintenance
  • toys and equipment
  • my salary
  • 5 personal/health days
    • Notice will be provided as early as possible. For illness, notification will be by 6 am on the day closing. To alleviate the need for usage of these 5 days, whenever possible partial closure will be early morning or late afternoon, which will require just a slight change for drop-off or pick-up. 
  • 1 educational day
    • Provides the ability to attend off-site training only available during normal GTCC business hours that supports my Professional Development Plan. Notice will be provided as soon as training is registered for.
  • posted Holidays
    • see Operating Calendar found in the website sidebar

Weekly Care Rates:

  • infant/toddler (6 wks to 12 months) 
    • Full-time (4+ days)  — $185
    • Part-time (1-3 days) — $46 per day
  • toddler: (13 months to 36 months) 
    • Full-time (4+ days)  — $185
    • Part-time (1-3 days) — $46 per day
  • preschool: (37 months thru start of Kindergarten) 
    • Full-time (4+ days )  — $185
    • Part-time (1-3 days) — $46 per day
  • school-age (K up) (school year only)
    • Full-time (4+ days )  — $185
    • Part-time (1-3 days) — $46 per day
    • *School-age rates may be figured individually reflecting needs and hours of care offering a year round budget vs weekly.

31 or more hours a week will be charged at the full-time weekly rate. Part-time daily rates are charged for 5 – 30 hrs. A sibling discount may be available.

The contracted care fee/rate is found on the Growing Together Child Care financial agreement between the provider and child’s parents/legal guardians. Any modifications will be listed there.

If Growing Together Child Care is required to close outside scheduled school holidays/vacations due to a community public health emergency, legal guardians will be expected to continue to pay the fees as agreed to in their individual written contracts.

Realizing that situations may change for families, please remember I am open to discussing any individual situation.

GTCC is willing to accept families receiving Subsidy.

Growing Together Child Care will be closed for ten business days’ vacation annually. These weeks are unpaid. Parents will be provided at least a 2 month’s notice for the unpaid vacation weeks. For your vacation weeks that differ from GTCC the agreed to weekly fee is still due.

Back-up care for my personal/health/educational days or any emergency closure that may arise is up to each child’s parents/legal guardians to make arrangements for.

We have a generator and should not have trouble remaining open during power outages. In the event of unplanned closings, childcare tuition will be prorated for the days closed affecting your contracted days. Part-Time clients will have the option of swapping days when possible.

Holding Care Slot Fee:

Care opportunity at Growing Together Child Care is filled on a first-come-first-served, best fit basis. Until signed paperwork is turned in “your” opportunity for care is not guaranteed. If a family wishes to enroll their child(ren) at Growing Together Child Care but does not wish to begin right away a non- refundable holding fee must be paid weekly to guarantee the slot. Without payment of the holding fee, the opportunity for child care is not guaranteed and parent(s)/legal guardian(s) risk the opportunity being given to another child. The weekly holding fee is determined by the length of time you wish to hold the space.

  • Hold slot for 2 weeks = 25% of tuition rate, paid weekly in advance
  • Hold slot for 3 weeks = 50% of tuition rate, paid weekly in advance
  • Hold slot for 4 weeks = 75% of tuition rate, paid weekly in advance
  • Hold slot for 5 or more weeks = 100% of tuition rate, paid weekly in advance

LATE PICK-UP CHARGES:

Each day a child is picked-up at GTCC later than the scheduled pick-up time as provided for in their Care Agreement or without prior agreement, the Child’s parents/legal guardians may be assessed an overtime fee of $20.00 for the first 5 minutes, with an increase of $5 for each 5 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time.

If a child is picked up late more than 3 times in a 2 week period, GTCC may terminate the contract for care in accordance with the terms of this Care Agreement.

WEEKLY FEES COLLECTION:

As a small business with set expenses, GTCC is dependent upon a weekly anticipated income. Payment will be made, at minimum, by the Friday prior to the week of care. Payment forms accepted: cash, check, venmo or debit/credit card.

A late payment charge of $5 per day may be charged, or care can be refused until payment in full is received.

Bounced checks will require immediate repayment in cash and an additional fee of $40 for service charges and inconvenience. Two bounced checks will be cause for all future payments to be in cash only and possible termination of the care agreement.

For families with child care/dependent accounts I am happy to complete any provided forms that are required.

For families qualifying for CCAP any family payment owed to the provider needs to be kept current or ongoing lack of this payment may be cause for termination of the care agreement.

SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION FOR LATE PAYMENT:

If Growing Together Child Care has not received payment for the contracted weekly fee by Friday of the week prior to care, Growing Together Child Care may refuse to admit child(ren) for care each day until parents/legal guardians pay the Overdue Payment in full.

Recurring late payment may also result in immediate termination of contract.