Camp Australia
Reviews and Complaints

This morning a mother approached me to tell me she witness a staff member at the Springside Camp australia before care yell at my child . I had asked my daughter to give something to this particular mother. The morning of the incident, my daughter was playing in the gym, saw this mother and ran out of the gym to tell her that she had the item I had sent for her. By exiting the gym, I mean she entered the dining area. It was at this point that the staff member yelled at my child, telling her she was not allowed to leave the gym. This mother was shocked at how the staff member yelled in front of all the other children. She told me how her daughter was scared after what she saw.
Tonight I asked my daughter what happened that day. She told me that she was unaware that there was a specific rule about leaving the gym, she told me how she was made to sit with another teacher for 5 minutes for punishment. She also told me how this particular teacher makes up rules all the time. After this incident, a sign was put up about leaving the gym. I feel this punishment was unfair, no one was hurt, there was no way of my daughter knowing this rule was going to be made up at that particular moment. I think this could have been handled better by the staff member. Perhaps she could have taken my daughter aside and gentlly remind her of the rules. She also told me how one morning she asked for food and was told she couldn't have any, but other kids were given food.

I should be able to send my child to before care with out worrying that the staff aren't treating my child correctly. Kids have enough to deal with at school, they shouldn't be bullied by there teachers.

Camp Australia have got to have one of the worst customer relations and billing policies I have ever come across! After leaving my kids in their pre-school care for several months I found their billing to be frequently incorrect. Several times I was overcharged for days that my kids did not attend. For this reason I refused to set up a direct debit.

Just before Christmas break they sent me an invoice for an incorrect amount and overcharged me by not deducting the childcare rebate from their invoice. I rang their billing department and asked them to sent me a correct invoice which they did, however they added a $20 dollar late fee to the bill for not paying it within the few days they allow you to pay a bill.

I paid the invoice but not the late fee! The following month I received another invoice but now with a $40 dollar late fee as they apparently charge a $20 dollar late fee for every month and accumulate even though the bill was paid for the services they provided.

I paid the invoice, but not the $40 dollar late fee which I can only describe as pure extortion! A few heated emails between me and their billing department followed but they insisted it needed to be paid. I stopped communications with them as I had already made up my mind I was going to withdraw my custom.

Yesterday I received a letter from them giving me a "Notice of Intention to Sue" ! ...wait for it, for $40 (their late fees which I had not paid) !

I rang Camp Australia this morning to question which planet they where from! The conversation was rather hostile on the phone, but the outcome was that they will waiver the 40 dollar late fee and will not be going forth with legal action against me!... too right, as their exuberant request for $20 late fees is not enforceable anyway!

The lady I spoke with asked if I would ever be using Camp Australia in the future, I told her I would not! I have made alternative arrangements. These people use aggressive billing policies, alienate the very people who fund their services and quite frankly don’t deserve to be in charge of children! My youngest daughter used to cry before she had to go to preschool care in the morning, insisting she didn’t want to go. She never liked it because she was the youngest there and had no-one to play with, and apparently was just left by herself each morning. Several mornings I dropped my kids there we had to wait for the camp Australia staff to arrive when they should have already been there!

I would love to see this company being replaced with an alternative in my kid’s school. icon_sad.gif

I have rung the customer service line four times now in 6 business days. I have also sent an email via their website and still have not had a call back. I am enquiring after their ridiculous 7 day cancellation policy (which i have adhered too) yet been charged for. The first girl i spoke too would not listen and kept saying the same thing over and over. When I asked for a manager i was told "There is no Manager in the office yet" (it was 9.20am) and upon probing was told "they all come in at 10am". Then upon more questioning the story then changed to "There is a Manager here but they are in a meeting". I waited for a call back and it never happened so i rang back. They then put me onto a "senior agent" as again there were "No Managers available". This "Senior agent" was rude and arrogant and the Customer Service was non existant. When I asked for a Manager again i was told "there are non available". On this call i asked them to cancel my direct debit as i was not paying my bill until the manager called me back. I was promptly told my direct debit would be cancelled however if i did not pay by my due date i would incur late fees and the like. I explained as long as i receive a call back there should be no issue with my invoice. A day later and still no phone call. I ring back and again i am told the Custoemr Service Manager "was in his office but now he is not. I will get him to call you". Two days later i go on their website and log an enquiry that way to get a call back. Still nothing. I ring back the next day, to be told "The Manager is aware of your complaint and will call you back when he is able". We are now over a week later and i still have not heard anything from Camp Australia . When i mentioned this service to one of the carers at the centre i was told that she understood that they give out bad service at the call centre(head office). The issue with these before and after school care programes is we as parents have NO CHOICE but to use them as they are the oly one on offer at the school(we dont have the choice like daycare), so to pull my child out is not an option as I work full time. They can treat customers how ever they like and they answer to noone, clearly. It is just not good enough and the care jackson gets at the actual cnetre at his school is fantastic, the carers are amazing, yet the "customer service" line has alot to answer for and at the moment is not focused on the 'customer" or the "service"