How Has The Recession Hit You?

[Guest]

we have struggled this year to fill up we have had to cut staff hours and shut some sessions . it has been our after school club that has kept us afloat. it appears to be pretty much across our authority apart from the big nurseries who seem to be doing better maybe the higher paid workforce has not been hit as much as the lower paid sector who we serve.

today I bought some equipment from a community nursery that is closing after 25yrs. it really made me depressed as we too after 14yrs have thought about it. We are trying a new option from Sept so hopefully we will be ok.

last week our authority rang to do a survey on how the recession has hit settings this just shows that there is a growing problem.

how about you guys? it is becoming apparent that it seems to be the smaller not for profit groups like ourselves that seem to be going under, is this the same in your area?

sue

[sunnyday]

Where are you Sue - location wise I mean.

 

So far so good for us - but I am well aware that could change - so many people losing their jobs it's so sad. A friend of my husbands was made redundant on Monday he is 58 and has worked for the same company for 25 years - I feel so sorry for him - I can't imagine that he will find it easy to find another job - poor man.

 

Sunnyday

[Guest]

we are in west York's

normally we have mums who will bring children to us for them to return to part time work this year those jobs seem to be non existent. we lost our afternoon wrap around for our school nursery as they decided to go full time to fill places they are also low in numbers . it killed our afternoon sessions as we cannot compete with free full days. we have only filled up since Jan as this is when the funded children start. we are small only 12 children at a session we are going to open 2 afternoons after Easter to take some newly funded children. we have never been so low on numbers it may be a combination of things along with the recession.

sue

[sam2368]

Our setting's doing fine, but there are so many people affected by the recession. Thank goodness for the nef otherwise many of our children wouldn't be able to attend anywhere.

We have more families than usual in our playgroup asking for payment plans and many will be grateful for the extended hours we'll offer from september.

We have had trouble recruiting staff, although that may be because we can't provide enough hours for those with a mortgage to pay.

 

I think it's going to be the day nurseries who'll suffer ultimately as more people lose their jobs, can't afford or don't need full day care.

[Inge]

think it all depends on area and kind of setting.. I was at a pre-school which extended hours in Sept, and parents tended to have the 5 funded sessions but add a lunch or two, which was and still is affordable. they are doing very well and having to manage their intake to allow room for some to start after Easter as these will be the intake for Sept. which is always a dire term... 75% + leave for school in July and because of the area they tend to just come in and want a place rather than pre-book.

 

As 95% of the children are funded it has not really had much effect on them, it has always been swings and roundabouts.. very low in Sept increasing until April when they are full ... and being in area of deprivation current recession really has not had as much effect as it has elsewhere.

 

Inge

[Guest]

So far so good for us we are full and have a waiting list that will keep us full until at least september 2010. I havent noticed any change to the ammount of places being taken up.

[Cait]

We are full up too - in fact I'm going to apply for a variation for more places as we've got the bigger room now. Got children coming out of the woodwork for September!

Edited April 8, 2009 by Cait

[Guest]

We've had several drop a session so they are only taking up free hours. We've had staff leaving because they can't afford to continue when they can earn more in less time elsewhere - and September's numbers look dire at the moment. Ho hum. Surely it can only get better.

 

Al

[sunnyday]

We've had several drop a session so they are only taking up free hours. We've had staff leaving because they can't afford to continue when they can earn more in less time elsewhere - and September's numbers look dire at the moment. Ho hum. Surely it can only get better.

 

Al

What a worrying situation for you - what area are you in?

 

Sunnyday

[Alison]

we are just breaking even there are a few children on the waiting list for next term but we are far from full

another local group has just announced it is closing in July after 25 years of being open its really sad to see it close

 

we are hopeing to hold out through this recession but we may need to reduce staff numbers to minimum requirements at least we still have that option before we even contemplate closeing

[dublinbay]

Gosh! Its very sad to hear of groups struggling and some even closing.

 

We are full at the moment, and have had to open up Friday afternoon which was usually reserved for planning and other paperwork.

[Guest]

for some strange reason our numbers are the highest they have been for the last 2 years !! a few parents have left due to losing jobs but we have had lots of new starters! the only problem i have is with moving children up to relevant rooms as they are almost full, i think the credit crunch has affecte staff more as they all want more than contract hours and i cant fulfil their need due to having to take on more staff as it works out more cost effective for NI employer contributions although one staff member wants to go down to 15 hours as she can claim income support and rent/council tax rebate if she earns less less than £90 per week! but you never know in the future if numbers will go down!