Terms and Conditions
We understand that it’s not easy for parents to leave their children in other people’s care. Here at the YMCA we are all about Strong Kids, Strong Families and Strong Communities, therefore we take the rights, safety and wellbeing of all the children in our care seriously, providing a fun, educational and caring environment that children love to be a part of. YMCA delivers all services in accordance with our values of Caring, Respect, Responsibility and Honesty.
Bookings are essential in all of our programmes, and can be made through our Aimy Plus Parent Portal. Please ensure that you let us know about any changes to your contact details or information about your child through the Parent Portal.
We take due care with children’s belongings but accept no responsibility for lost or misplaced items. Please name your children’s belongings so any left behind items may be returned. All lost property will be held for 2 weeks after the programme before being donated to charity.
Please also note that the YMCA reserves the right to change scheduled activities without notice, where circumstances beyond our reasonable ability to control, prevent them from being delivered.
We will apply sunscreen to your child if they are outside. Please let us know if you do not want your child to have sunscreen applied or alternatively if your child requires allergy friendly sunscreen please provide a named bottle.
Before School Care/After School Care:
Bookings will be invoiced on Thursday two weeks before your child’s attendance at our programme and payment is due on the Thursday the week before.
If you wish to take an extended absence for more than a week, and you would like to hold your child’s place in the programme, you will be charged $5 for each session normally attended per child. Please provide us written notification two weeks in advance.
We required 2 weeks’ notice in writing to cancel your child’s/children’s enrolment. Please send an email or letter to your centre.
Holiday Programmes:
Payment for all holiday programmes is required when making your booking.
You are able to change or cancel days up until the Friday before the school holidays begins. However once the program has commenced there are no refunds for cancellations. Your fees are still payable if your child/children do not attend.
Please provide your child/children with shoes, clothing suitable for the activities planned, sunscreen, sunhat, sufficient lunch and drink for each day of attendance.
We know that when you are away from your child that it is nice to see what they have been up to. Aimy Plus provides us the ability to take photos, upload them and to tag your child so that you can see what’s been happening during the day. On your parent dashboard, you will only see photo’s that your child has been tagged in. Images taken will only be used on the Aimy Plus Parent Portal and will not be used in our printed and online publicity.
Digital copies of any images or video of individuals will be kept securely. Electronic images will be in a protected folder with restricted access to appropriate staff.
By accepting these terms and conditions, you agree to allows us to upload photos and tag your child.
The YMCA Auckland is a Ministry of Social Development Approved Provider, which means that you may be able to apply for an Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) Subsidy. This is a payment which helps families with the costs of before and after school care for up to 20 hours a week, and school holiday programmes for up to 50 hours a week. For further information refer to the work and income website.
If you are applying for an OSCAR subsidy through Work and Income you need to bring your application form in to the centre to complete the relevant section. Application forms must be submitted to Work and Income within 20 working days of the start of the term/holiday programme to ensure the subsidy begins on time. It is your responsibility to ensure the forms are accurate and submitted to Work and Income.
Work and Income confirmation letters must be brought into the office to complete the enrollment of your child in our programmes.
You are ultimately responsible for all fees payable.
Before School Care/After School Care: bookings will be invoiced on Thursday two weeks before your child’s attendance at our programme and payment is due on the Thursday the week before.
Your child’s access to our programmes can be withdrawn if your account is not kept up to date. We will contact you on the email provided during the signing up process.
Overdue amounts may be referred to a debt collection agency. Any expenses, disbursements and legal costs incurred by YMCA in the enforcement of any rights contained in this contract shall be paid by the parent/caregiver, including any solicitor’s fees and/or debt collection agency fees.
Please note all relevant medical conditions during the enrolment process.
All absences are charged at the hours you have booked in for during the enrolment process, and applies to before and after school care as well as holiday programmes.
Before School Care/After School Care: If you have collected your child from school early or they will be away please phone or text the centre 2 hours before the start of the programme (5:30am, and/or 1pm). Repeat occurrences of not contacting the centre 2 hours prior to the start of the programme will incur an additional charge of $20 per absence.
Our staff have current first aid certificates, however we do not have the facilities to look after sick children. If your child appears unwell we will phone you or your emergency contacts and request that your child is collected as soon as possible.
Our staff are trained to deal with any accidents or emergency situations. If your child is involved in a serious accident we will contact you immediately, however, where we are unable to contact you we will proceed to assist your child as deemed appropriate in the circumstance and establish contact as soon as possible. If we are required to arrange any urgent medical treatment, you will be required to reimburse any costs incurred.
If required we may transport your child for their health and safety.
All accidents and incidents are recorded in the accident book which requires your sign-off when the child is collected.
Children must be signed in and out of the programme at the time of drop-off and/or collection. Only those parents/carers identified during the enrolment process will be permitted to collect the child from the programme.
Please complete the Authorised / Unauthorised Pickups section. Your child’s safety is paramount, children will not be released to any person not named on the enrolment form, without prior written consent. If you have any custody/court orders to restrain any people from contacting your child please provide relevant documentation and a current photo for easy identification for the staff.
All authorised persons are requested to always have to hand photo ID. Any person collecting a child may be asked to show photo ID, at any stage.
Parents/caregivers are liable for late fees at a rate of $2 per minute for collecting their children after the booking time. Late fees are invoiced separately from the main booking fees. If you have not collected your child by 6pm and we cannot reach you, we will phone the child’s emergency contact and request that the child be collected immediately. Please ensure your emergency contact is aware of their responsibilities.
We do not transport your child/children in private vehicles, we utilise company vehicles and/or taxi’s/buses.
Before School Care and After School Care – by enrolling your child in a programme that offers drop-off/pick up from your child’s/children’s school, you agree to allow us to transport your child.
Holiday Programme – by enrolling your child in an excursion (off-site) holiday programme, you agree to allow us to transport your child.
The YMCA Auckland is proudly New Zealand’s first and only Safeguarding Accredited organisation. The Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) has accredited our services within Auckland and Hamilton and due to being recent partners, our Bay of Plenty is currently in the process of undertaking accreditation requirements.
For more information about Safeguarding visit ymcaauckland.org.nz
YMCA has detailed and well-structured behaviour management strategies and processes in place. All practices are child centred and reflective of YMCA’s safeguarding code of conduct and requirements. Any behaviour management undertaken is done so in a positive manner, enhancing the child’s understanding, development and self-esteem, respectful of the child’s dignity as well as appreciative of their need for additional support.
Should any displayed behaviour present a considerable immediate and/or significant risk to the child, other children, staff and/or property, YMCA may request immediate collection of the child and review ongoing placement within the YMCA service/programme.
YMCA has a suite of accredited child protection policies and procedures. All are available via our website and in hard copies within our Centres.
Should YMCA have any concerns, receive any disclosures relating to the wellbeing or safety of any child/young person (or associated community member), YMCA are required to share this information, along with any known child data to child protection services. This may include Oranga Tamariki (formerly known as Child, Youth and Family) and/or NZ Police.
YMCA aims to be open and honest with parents/carers around any concerns and offer support where possible. However, YMCA are not able inform parents/carers of our reporting concerns, if to do so could:
If you have any questions or concerns please talk to our staff on site or alternatively contact your local YMCA centre.
We encourage you to send us your feedback about any aspect of our programmes and services.
All of our programmes are approved by the Ministry of Social Development which means that we have met all the requirements in the Level 3 Social Sector Accreditation Standards, and the new MSD Specialist Accreditation Standard: Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) Programmes. Should you wish to understand further what these requirements are, please refer to the MSD website.
The collection of information in the enrolment process is for the effective delivery of our services, customers under the age of 18 may have their data shared with Oranga Tamariki and this data is managed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993.
Information collected through the website is maintained by Aimy Plus, please refer to their Privacy Policy, in the attached link. For information on YMCA’s privacy policy please click here.
YMCA shall not be liable for any injury, loss, damage or physical injury arising from participation in YMCA programmes.
Nothing in these terms and conditions is intended to have the effect of limiting or reducing the customer’s rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or the Fair Trading Act 1986.
To the extent that YMCA is liable to the customer for any reason, its liability is limited to a maximum amount equal to the value of fees payable by the customer in any 12 month period.
The customer shall be responsible for any malicious damage they cause to equipment of the facilities used in delivering YMCA’s programmes.