Greenfinch Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Hi all We are a private day nursery.Since sff, once the headcount date has passed we have to take any new children for free and do not receive funding at all for the rest of that term, if we have places still available.Does anyone else have to do this? Do any of you have parental agreement forms from your LA? We don't. There seems to be a real loop hole to me as any unscrupulous parent could theoretically try to get extra hours for free at several different settings (if settings were willing to offer etc) and there would be nothing to hilight this taking place officially. Also as we are not allowed to charge upon entry, we would have no guarantee that the child would stay the following term. I bring this up as I have just had to do it for the first time. I'd be interested to hear what others have to do and if anyone was willing to share any parental agreement forms that would be really appreciated.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 In Kent, we have an agreement for "Joiners and Leavers", half way through the term we can up-date our funding, so if someone has joined after headcount we fill in this sheet and we get funding for the child, sometimes this won't come through until the end of term though when there is an adjustment day. If a child leaves we do a similar thing, we fill in the sheet and the county deduct they money they would have paid into my account at the end of term, or they have done it at the beginning of the next term. Some years back, we did not have this system and if a child joined after headcount we had to accept them free of charge, but if they left, we could keep the funding, in this way, our county felt that as many children joined as left and that providers would therefore not be out of pocket, this proved not to be the case and that is why they relented and provided the above system which from my point of view is fair and works well. As all declarations are checked by our County's Management and Info Dept., I don't think there could be multiple applications in the way that you suggest, however, we are quite close to another county's border and we have had children from that county at our nursery and they also attend a nursery in their own county - theoretically, a parent could claim full entitlement from each county as I don't believe there is a check system to stop that, so they could get up to 30hrs funding per week rather than just 15 between the counties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 we used to have it too, swings and roundabouts they called it, trouble was there were more swings than roundabouts so we often lost out. So many settings complained in our area as we were often losing out that they changed it to an adjustment form to be filed in when children left or joined and a parent declaration done at that time, so we were funded for all children in the setting.. effectively making headcount day redundant really..although we still had it . Made it so much better as parents could increase sessions during the term if they were not using full entitlement. Anyone going to multiple settings in the way you suggest would only fall through the net for a term at most as the forms would go in for the new headcount day, as we only did them at that time and not for any joining midterm , and they were all checked in our area.. and cross border too, We at one time had to make the claim to the 'other lEA' for these children that became very complicated when they paid less than our own LA and had different forms, criteria a real minefield! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Yes we have PAFs and operate the same in Cumbria as Panders, it's added or taken off the next installment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 I have to fill out forms twice a term. One to say who I am expecting the following term and one to say who I have actually got on roll. Our LEA have always back paid us if someone joined after the paper work done or deducted money if a child didnt turn up as expected Seems fair to me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyfs1966 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Our LEA will also let us adjust for joiners and leavers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Essex - We keep or 'send on funding' within the county if a child leaves.. Our choice, out of interest we never 'offer' but will give if asked by another setting We can fill in a late claim- up until around the 7th July this term. ( I think- don't quote me though!) and funding will added to next term- again not really sure if this date is correct as is hasn't affected us this year, therefore not read paperwork that well. Parents cannot 'up hours' after headcountday- and if they do wish to, we can charge them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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