Free childcare question

jimbogarner

Hi,

My son (3) goes to nursery 1 day per week, he’s there from 8.30-4.30, so 8 hours in total per week of the 15 hours of free childcare. Following the free childcare announcement his nursery have informed me that their funding only runs 8.30-4 and therefore I still have to pay for an additional hour each week. Which for most people working 8 hour days + travel, that isn’t very helpful. This doesn’t seem right to me as I’m nowhere near utilising his full 15 hours entitlement but we’re still having to pay? Is this common?

Thanks,

James

marcia_

 Several posts with things like his recently. Looks to me that this is a get around not being able to charge people top up fees on the free hours. By putting limitations on when the free hours can happen even charging a high rate for the additional hours. They are probably trying to make up for the poor rate's being paid by the government 

sheramber

The nursery can choose when they deliver funded hours and do not need to deliver any.

It is their choice. 

Spendless

This came up before many years ago and it's correct the  funded hours only run at certain times during the day. The Government muddied the waters I think with the description of this because if you're talking the 15 hours non means tested hours term after child's 3rd birthday then then this was always 'nursery education' rather than childcare, though many people including myself did use it for childcare purposes.

sheramber

jimbogarner said:

Hi,

My son (3) goes to nursery 1 day per week, he’s there from 8.30-4.30, so 8 hours in total per week of the 15 hours of free childcare. Following the free childcare announcement his nursery have informed me that their funding only runs 8.30-4 and therefore I still have to pay for an additional hour each week. Which for most people working 8 hour days + travel, that isn’t very helpful. This doesn’t seem right to me as I’m nowhere near utilising his full 15 hours entitlement but we’re still having to pay? Is this common?

Thanks,

James

When do I have to provide funded hours?

Funded hours can be provided any day of the week, including weekends, between 6am and 8pm. There is no longer any minimum session length, and the maximum session length is still 10 hours. There should not be any artificial breaks between funded sessions. Within these constraints, it is up to you as a provider to decide how and when you offer parents funded hours. There is no mandatory pattern of delivery, and you do not have to deliver all 30 hours..........

https://www.pacey.org.uk/working-in-childcare/spotlight-on/30-hours-funding/information-for-practitioners/

izawa

Sadly they nursery is right. Its no fault of theirs, they get very small amounts from government on free childcare hence the need to rely on parents funded childcare.