Cost of after school care? assist in cost?

[disneymarie]

I could use some ideas.
I am on a local committe for a community recreation center. While working toward that, we have the oppertunity as a non-profit to take over a closed boys and girls club center, turn key for latch key kids.

We are aiming for grants to offset cost, having fund raisers, but reality we need to set a cost for kids mainly 6th and 7th grade to grown up for daycare.

The program will have a warm meal, homework time with help, unstructured recreation, also, things like yoga, robotics club, various other activities,

We like the idea of using the free lunch program and sliding scale. Wish it could be free for all, but we do have to pay insurance which now a days it $$$$. and some cost.

It will be a small center, 10-15 kids.
So what is a fair pay for working families, 3-4 hrs a day....$10 a day, $50 a week, free lunch free, reduced lunch 1/2 the cost.

We are not in a large market, we do have kids hanging out after school at the middle school no one home, and Monday I saw them sitting in front of the closed library.

I guess I am asking, how or what are families paying for the 12 year olds after school? What programs help with pay?

So excited but, wow, what concerns over cost.

 

[minnie1928]

I can't say how much would be reasonable, there are a lot of factors to consider. However, I would look at it from the other angle...how much will this program COST. I don't completely understand the situational costs. Are you saying that you will use your existing building(s) so there will no increased costs there? I would outline the costs of running this program (insurance, additional staff, supplies, etc). and divide it buy the number of participants. If the program's costs are beyond what a reasonable fee would be for the area, then you'll have to look into grants or something else to supplement the income stream.

Good luck! This is a great idea. When I was on the board of a church run daycare, we considered a program like this too. Ultimately we decided against it, but I think it was more a space concern than money.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Too many factors to consider. You need to start with a budget for everything you plan to do and then work your way down to a cost-per-child based on that. The numbers will vary from one area of the country to another.

Depending on how economically depressed your area is, the idea of paying $200/month for after-school care may be too high for some families. Many people with children in the 6th grade and up would not be willing to part with that much money when they are currently spending $0 for their kid to let himself in the door and be alone at home for a couple of hours.

I'm going to move this over to the Community Board. I hope that someone who works in community services might be able to help you with this. It sounds like a good idea but you need direction from someone who has been there, done that.

 

[Darcy03231]

Too many factors to consider. You need to start with a budget for everything you plan to do and then work your way down to a cost-per-child based on that. The numbers will vary from one area of the country to another.

Depending on how economically depressed your area is, the idea of paying $200/month for after-school care may be too high for some families. Many people with children in the 6th grade and up would not be willing to part with that much money when they are currently spending $0 for their kid to let himself in the door and be alone at home for a couple of hours.
I'm going to move this over to the Community Board. I hope that someone who works in community services might be able to help you with this. It sounds like a good idea but you need direction from someone who has been there, done that.

I have to agree here. The only way families in need may be able to take advantage of the service is if it is free. I know once my kids reached the age of twelve they were home by themselves after school (it was only for an hour as DH is home by 4 pm).

 

[golfgal]

I don't know if this is a fair comparison but DS17 is doing after school care for two kids, 8th grade and 6th grade at their house. They pay him $95/week for being there for about 3 hours/day. He does do their homework with them (he does his as well) but they supply all the food, etc. .

 

[Leader of the Club]

Check with the boys and girls club that closed. Those records have got to be somewhere. Find out their costs involved, tuition and why they had to close.

check with other communities near yours. Find YMCAs that offer this service. I'm sure they would help with ideas.

 

[HM]

My children's school system teamed up with the sherrif's office and other businesses to fund an afterschool program for the middle school kids. They got homework time, a snack and activities for two hours after school. Then they could ride a bus home or be picked up by a parent. The cost was $50 for the school year. Even at that low price, not too many parents took advantage of it (we had maybe 60 kids out of 900). Finding outside funding and grants is key to your endeavor in order to make it as cheap to the parent as possible, I think.

 

[disneymarie]

WOW What great feedback.
I did find some information from a local daycare that goes up to 6th grade. The after school can receive funding for the child under the organization much as the parental income is considered and an offset made.

I think to pay something is bit as abused, then offering free.
In our area, say $15 a day, $75 a week, for the 4-6 PMers crew $50,
Then use the funding that offsets.

We can offer scholareships type offset too, free if free lunch, etc.

I just got a quote for our insurance and it will be the larges expense for the year, the volunteers need w/c in case of injury, that is $800, the board and directors ins, is $1,500, the center insr $500.

There is no way the fund raiser is going to make $3,000 this weekend.
So many are interested from the school. police, and community.

Even for people at home, they want a center for the kids to socialize and not hang on the corner.
Di