Late Payments

[Cait]

We've not had to do the final stage yet! This is printed on the back of all the invoices, so no-one can claim they didn't know.

[Rea]

With deposits in the future, this will help but only for fee-paying parents as obviously I can't charge a deposit for the free places. That's blooming awkward, re your chair! In terms of ratios we always have a dip at the end of the morning session so there's capacity for a couple more.

 

I queried this with our LA, they said as long as i charge a deposit for all children and its our policy, I can charge for funded places too.

 

Mouse, your chair needs to remember she is a trustee of the setting and should adhere to its policies like everyone else. The policies can be changed obviously but not because she doesnt like them. I hope the minutes show the discussions that took place before any change is voted for.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Rea

[anju]

That's really interesting, Rea - we're definitely told no charges for funded places

[Rea]

Our LA advisor told me its up to us when I phoned to check after seeing a similar thread on here. If we only charged for funded places that would be different, but because its for our starters at 2.5 years too, its really nothing to do with the LA. We charge a £10 deposit which covers paperwork and a T-shirt. We give the deposit back if we cant give them the places they want.

We also dont have to pay back any funding if a child leaves after head count day. Say what you like about Birmingham EY dept (and I do!) but they do leave certain administration things up to us, which can only be a good thing.

[anju]

Sounds great, Rea!

[redjayne]

We too are told that we can't take a charge/deposit for funded places as this would discriminate against low income families who only want to access the free entitlement - as that is what it is - free.

[redjayne]

As for not giving funding back - what happens if a child goes to another setting - would they have to put in a late claim - that would mean a child has had two lots of funding in theory,if you have also kept yours Rea - must really mess the local authority's budgets up :huh:

[anju]

We are told the same as you, Redjayne about the place needing to be completely free - no charge for snacks even. This is from the Code of Practice for the Delivery of the Free Entitlement.

 

With the leavers, ours cuts both ways - we get the funding for late starters within a term but lose it for early leavers.

[Rea]

As for not giving funding back - what happens if a child goes to another setting - would they have to put in a late claim - that would mean a child has had two lots of funding in theory,if you have also kept yours Rea - must really mess the local authority's budgets up :huh:

 

If the child goes to another setting they have to wait until the next headcount day to make a claim. We have been told we can give the money to the new setting if we wish, but the LA dont make us. They said it could happen to us too, so its pretty much swings and roundabouts. They suggest we use the money to provide for all the children we have. It works across LA boundaries too, they dont ask for the money back. Too much admin work I suppose.

[finleysmaid]

As for not giving funding back - what happens if a child goes to another setting - would they have to put in a late claim - that would mean a child has had two lots of funding in theory,if you have also kept yours Rea - must really mess the local authority's budgets up :huh:

yes but if they make you pay it back then it's your budgets that are mucked up...especially if you can't fill the space.

[redjayne]

We have a two week window - then the money has to go back to our LA and they pass it on to the new provider , it used to be that the new setting would invoice us direct and we would pass the money on, but that stopped a couple of years ago as there were discrepancies over amounts owed. If we don't get a child to take up the space then that's tough really but never been an issue for us as we always have a waiting list so the space goes to the next child and we put in a late claim. To me this seems the fairest way for child and settings ?

[anju]

You are lucky if you always have a child waiting We find it hard to fill a space especially at short notice (or no notice) so I would prefer a months notice - existing setting keeps funding for a month which helps gives them time to find another child or cut costs and parent has to wait one month to start new setting. We in theory have one months notice for leaving, as do many settings so it seems to fit with that & seems reasonable. I've asked locally & the EY funding team are thinking about it

[Guest]

Thanks for all the info, sadly this has been an ongoing problem for the 45 years the pre-school has been in business

Get fedup with all the stories for non-payment. Think its time to get tough!!

[Rea]

I got tough today.

This parent had the invoice at the start of last half term, but failed to pay all of it. The outstanding amount was added to this half terms invoice and she was reminded about our fee's policy. She avoided the playleader the following week but handed part of what she owed to another member of staff in the playground. The following week the playleader spoke to her offering a payment plan to spread the total over the coming weeks and gave her a letter and a copy of our fee's policy from me as Chair. Nothing was forthcoming last week, so today I have spoken to her and given her a letter telling her that without payment her child's place is suspended as of next Tuesday.

Throughout all of this she has either avoided the staff or given excuses or assurances that the money will be paid by the end of the week. Today the explanation was that hubby has a new job and gets paid by cheque so we'll have to wait 3 days for it to clear.

Up until this morning I'd been having doubts about following through with this, I've never suspended a place before, just waited and waited and eventually lost money. I feel for her and her child, but my responsibility is to the staffs wages and the rent and I wouldnt discard any of our other policies so I'm sticking to this one too, even though it felt awful :huh:

Edited June 26, 2012 by Rea

[anju]

Good for you, Rea