Conservaties to double free childcare to 30 hours a week

rpc

Marisco wrote: »

I'd be more inclined to vote for them if they said they were going to limit child related benefits to 2 children only. You (general) want any more? Then pay for them yourselves.

So my wife and I should be financially punished because our second pregnancy turned out to be twins?

And what of the children that will still be born, but who will suffer because the family will go further into poverty. Measures like this aren't likely to change behaviours. You would end up taking many of those extra kids into care to protect them. Expensive.

Perhaps there should be mandatory sterilisation for anyone on benefits? (tongue in cheek)

Fortunately my vote is an easy choice - keep the SNP out. That doesn't stop me cringing at the thought of casting a vote for the party that requires though...

bylromarha

onlyroz wrote: »

There are also benefits to the children - a 3-year-old will be following the Early Years curriculum and so will be getting a head-start, both educationally and socially, over those children who first experience an education environment when they start primary school.

A parent at home who does little with their child, I agree with you.

A parent at home who talks and interacts with their child on a 1:1 basis, reading, playing with them, engaging with them, taking them to playgroups, teaching them life skills and hanging out with other 3 year olds regularly does a far better job to get a child school ready than any form of childcare.

onlyroz

bylromarha wrote: »

A parent at home who does little with their child, I agree with you.

A parent at home who talks and interacts with their child on a 1:1 basis, reading, playing with them, engaging with them, taking them to playgroups, teaching them life skills and hanging out with other 3 year olds regularly does a far better job to get a child school ready than any form of childcare.

Fundamentally, how is a playgroup different to a few hours in a nursery? And I think it's important for pre-schoolers to spend some time totally away from mummy as well, to help them gain independence and confidence.

bylromarha

onlyroz wrote: »

Fundamentally, how is a playgroup different to a few hours in a nursery? And I think it's important for pre-schoolers to spend some time totally away from mummy as well, to help them gain independence and confidence.

Playgroup, parent is there if they need them. I agree pre-schoolers benefit from being away from a parent - but I think it's better at their own pace, rather than blanket age 3. Plus a daily nursery session is not the sole way to seperate parent and child.

Louk

I think such policies could end up damaging children. Children need time with their parents, and that time needs to be of a good quality not just in those last manic hours at the end of a day when both parents are tired from working, trying to cook a meal, do bed time etc. children need to feel secure in the family home, they need these first few years to be able to do this.

Kaye1

bylromarha wrote: »

A parent at home who does little with their child, I agree with you.

A parent at home who talks and interacts with their child on a 1:1 basis, reading, playing with them, engaging with them, taking them to playgroups, teaching them life skills and hanging out with other 3 year olds regularly does a far better job to get a child school ready than any form of childcare.

I'm a SAHM and as far as the political parties are concerned, I'm a nobody.


No tax breaks, no 'benefits' other than child benefit. My daughter started school well in front of her classmates in terms of learning and is still doing very well. I'm not being a d*** about how amazing my child is- however, I did spend 4 years playing, learning, cooking, painting, looking after chickens, etc etc etc. I have no spare money, no foreign holiday, no new clothes. However, I agree with an earlier poster- that is my choice. I chose to stay at home and we live carefully. No-one contributes anything to us looking after our children and actually, that's ok. But it is galling to see people eating up benefits when they have no intention of working.


When they go to school, I shall return to work (if I can get it- after all I have been 'unemployed,' for a long time!)


However, sadly, the political parties don't seem to have anything to offer us either. I believe we should use our vote but I am genuinely at a loss as to whom I should vote for.

susancs

I would be concerned that a number of private childcare provisions, would opt out of the three year old funded scheme if it increased from 15 hours to 30 hours for all children, meaning less available funded places and less parental choice. In our region, the free hours have to be free at the point of delivery and the only extras that can be charged for are snacks and meals i.e. no top up fees for the 15 hours. However the amount paid for the funded hours from the local authority is less than the usual hourly rate required to sustain the business, so these hours are often in reality only available by charging higher rates for the non funded hours to all parents or by offering them on quieter days/times (so less flexibility). Recently I read that in Yorkshire the Local authority were cutting the rate to £3.30 an hour for childminders . The concern was that some would no longer participate in the scheme, hence reducing the number of 15 year old funded places. Also the hours are only available for 38 weeks a year, for the term after the child's 3rd birthday.

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1150838/conservatives-pledge-to-double-free-childcare-hours

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-31836785

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

chelseablue wrote: »

Hope this is the right board for this!

Just been watching the news and apparently if the tories get into power again they will be increasing the amount of free childcare for 3 & 4 year olds from 15 hours to 30 hours a week.

Both parents would need to work (full or part time)

Would start in 2017

Would not affect childcare vouchers

Interested to hear peoples thoughts?

So you need to have a job (and therefore childcare in place) in order to qualify for different childcare?

Would potentially mean getting a job starting in February, only to find out all the places have been taken up by people already working in September. And do they lose the place if a zero hours contract takes them below the minimum hours required?

I smell something dodgy.

Spendless

Marisco wrote: »

Why would a household where one is a SAHP, need childcare at all?

I don't think you have read/understood my post. Currently the term after a child's 3rd birthday they qualify for 15 hours per week nursery funding (can also be taken with an accredited childminder). This is because it is for education purposes and not for childcare. It is why it isn't means tested and why it's only for so many weeks per year (in line with schools) rather than for 52 weeks per year. Many people do use it to reduce their childcare bill, I did it myself, but it's not actually a benefit for free childcare, it's for (nursery) education.

My query was if 30 hours is going to be available only to families where both parents work, will other children (ie the ones that don't qualify) continue to receive the same 15 hours nursery education as they are currently eligible for?

Spendless wrote: »

It would have been useful to me, but only when the 2nd child was eligible and the eldest in school, because the childcare bill was equivalent to my then wages for one child. It's irrelevant to me, mine will both be in their teens by then, the eldest in sixth form/college/training.

I am suspicious though, if the 30 hours are for (both) working parents, what about households where one doesn't, will they still get the 15 hours or not??? This non-means tested funding is for nursery education not for childcare as such, though many people including me used it for that purpose, so unfair to take it completely away from the child due to their parent/s employment status. It's why it is only funded for so many weeks per year and you only get it with a childminder if they are accredited (or at least that used to be the case, maybe it's changed). Perhaps I am just being very cynical :cool: and this has been addressed??