A local group of home-based early childhood educators have been left ‘broken’ and forced to borrow money after the provider they worked for stopped paying and blocked contact with them.
The group of at least 16 home-based educators were working for Little Red Fox ECE, which operates across Blenheim, Nelson and Golden Bay. The company is owned by the president of New Zealand HomeBase Childcare Association, Bethany Fox.
Home-based educator Bethany Green has made her career out of looking after children in her home and says she is disappointed and has had “some pretty low days” due to the breakdown in relations with Little Red Fox.
She says she moved to Little Red Fox almost three years ago.
“I chose Little Red Fox because it was a smaller business that was family-orientated. That’s why I picked that over a nation-wide provider.”
She says she built up a lot of trust with the company’s owner, Bethany Fox.
Then, in October, Bethany Green, and other educators began noticing issues with their pay.
“Our pays hadn’t gone in, it got sorted and it was good for a wee while, but this year’s been rubbish.”
Another educator who asked not to be named, says the group were offered a range of excuses for the missed pay days.
“We got a new excuse every time, first it was public holidays, then it was being missed from a batch payment. Then it was her [Bethany’s] bank was too small to deal with all of our pays.
“The best one was ‘no guys it’s your banks, they are holding the payment’.”
She says Bethany Fox always reassured them with an excuse.
Then, during the last few weeks before their exit, it got worse - nobody got paid at all.
However, Bethany Fox disputes the missed pays, saying that never happened.
“Let me make it clear that all home-based staff received all monies when due to them for each and every pay period and the onus and choice was on them to continue or find another provider.”
However, in an email viewed by Nelson Weekly, office staff apologise for frustrations over payments on 8 February.
“We understand and recognize that there has been frustration around the pays and want to reassure you all that we have been working with a larger bank that can support the size of Little Red Fox. This includes shifting all accounts and refinancing to support growth and secure the future of LRF.," the email read.
Bethany Fox says a formal letter was sent on February 13 notifying everyone of the sale of the home-based business and the Golden Bay centre.
Bethany told Nelson Weekly she chose to close the Golden Bay centre as it was not financially viable to stay open.
“The community didn’t have the numbers.”
She says she is aware that some of the home educators were upset with the change of ownership of her business.
The unnamed educator says she and the other educators feel angry.
“I had to borrow money to pay my mortgage. My friend - her granddaughter has just been born and she can’t go to meet her because she can’t afford it.
“She didn’t come to us and say, ‘I’m in a hole, I need help’. She’s just moved into a new property, living her life, late last year she went on a big holiday to Italy and some of us couldn't afford a loaf of bread for our own children’s lunch.”
Bethany Green questioned whether to remain in the industry and whether this would happen again, after going through a similar situation with Porse.
“I love working with my little people, but at the end of the day we’ve all got mortgages and bills to pay.”
The unnamed educator says the whole experience left her and others “broken”.
The pair say to make matters worse, when they tried to find out when they would be getting paid, or tried getting any information at all, they were stonewalled by Bethany Fox.
“She shut down her email, she doesn’t answer her phone. We couldn’t contact her at all.”
Nelson Weekly understands that management were not aware there were issues and were in the same boat as the educators.
Ministry of Education Hautū (leader) Te Tai Runga (South), Nancy Bell says the ministry is aware of issues raised by two staff members of Little Red Fox.
“We have received a complaint and the matter is currently under investigation.”
She says the Ministry has a role to investigate matters of non-compliance with the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 and associated Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services.
The educators say the real “kick in the guts” is that Bethany Fox remains the president of New Zealand HomeBase Childcare Association.
The pair say they even took to posting on the association’s Facebook page as a last-ditch attempt to get Bethany to make contact with them. The educators were finally paid on 2 March, a day after the Ministry of Education quarterly subsidies are paid to providers. The educators are no longer working for Little Red Fox.
