Child Bill re 30 hours

[Rafa]

Rafa and Sunnyday it doesnt take very long - not many questions but it is another excuse to avoid the LIST!!!!

Hello again! No don't have a list....well I didnt have a list.....but have spent that much time listening to you lot....and your lists....that now I feel a very long list is coming on!! Shall search junk for MM : ) and now thats on the top of my list!

 

Note to self: Next year book a longer 'sun lounging' holiday!

[Mouseketeer]

Oh crap!!!! Never thought of that we have always been pilots for as long as I can remember and thought we might be this time but was just a passing thought, but it looks even more likely doesn't it. We had to fill out a form explaining our numbers / availability / ways to increase availability and so on ready for 30 hours.

I'm just going to hope and pray that there just on ball for 2017 ! And it's no other reason lol

I'm South Yorkshire xx

 

weekends and sleepovers for you then Foreveryoung

[lynned55]

I cannot understand this. All along they have stipulated that only where both parents were working would the 30 hours be available, it is only now they are mentioning about earning minimum wage. The way I am reading it is if they are earning more than they wont qualify. Now both my daughters have keen interests in this (both have children) and when I told them of this both said they had never heard anything about the minimum wage. In fact one went so far as to say 'Mum, you have obviously not read it properly' Cheek!! So I sent her the policy doc and said you read it then. She's fuming and is saying they cannot do that and that isnt what was promised and the document must be wrong!

 

If this is the case then it really isnt going to affect us as I cant think how anyone could work on minimum wage x 2 and live where I do. Its just too expensive. Which is good as I really dont want to police this, bad enough checking up for 2 year funding but to have to ask what parents hourly rates for their salaries are as well.

[Wildflowers]

I'm surprised that such big news is not in the news. They made such a big thing out of the 30 hours in the election.

 

 

[Foreveryoung]

Did you feel that you were 'expected' to find a way to increase to hours?

No not really, just felt as though they wanted to see what we could offer as a maximum to generate a sufficiency for the area, but you could write anything you felt should be added and I damn well did. We can possibly stretch to 28 by adding an hour at either end of session but that's all we can do as we are pack away we have very limited availability. My area are all 75%-100% full already for September, I have had quite a few families I just can not accommodate let alone when we have to offer more hours.

if anything comes of it I.e pilot I'll let you all know as you will hear my screams far and wide ha ha ha

[Rafa]

I'm surprised that such big news is not in the news. They made such a big thing out of the 30 hours in the election.

 

Well. im sure it will be- but there's still probably much whispering in the corridors of power, before the big unvail of a U.TURN

Yes Lynedd 55 I think your daughters are right, there was NO mention of working parents having to be on mimimum wage to receive 30 hours free. Its a political con isnt it, just like the University Fees before - so depressing.

 

Note to self - I do hope 'I will not be eating my hat' after all my anti- establishment comments! : ) ha ha

[sunnyday]

 

I'm surprised that such big news is not in the news. They made such a big thing out of the 30 hours in the election.

 

 

 

Sadly I'm not at all surprised

 

If challenged they will just continue to defend this policy - I can hear it now

[BroadOaks]

 

And no doubt its going to be as random as trying to claim the bloomin EYPP!

 

This must be different per area.. we got ours automatically from our LA? I did however email them when i 1st heard about it to question them about it.. so that might have helped

[BroadOaks]

Also the 30 hours is going to cause problems imo .. especially between neighbors for example, where 1 child qualifies and attends 30 hours per week, yet this child's friend and neighbor can attend for only 15 hours! Never mind the lack of funding to pay staff a "living wage" soon! It's going to be so much fun!

 

They give more money to other countries in "foreign aid" than they do to help fund nurseries it seems?!

[Wildflowers]

This is the latest: Childcare Bill Policy Statement.pdf regarding eligibility:

Eligibility for the free entitlement will include households where:

• both parents are working or one parent working in lone parent families, for their children aged three- or four-years-old. This will be defined as earning the equivalent of 8 hours per week on national minimum wage and this can includes self-employment;

• both parents are working (as above) and in receipt of tax credits and/ or universal credit;

• both parents are employed but one or both parent is temporarily away from the workplace on parental, maternity or paternity leave;

• both parents are employed but one or both parent is temporarily away from the workplace on adoption leave;

• both parents are employed but one or both parent is temporarily away from the workplace on statutory sick pay;

• one parent is employed and one parent is has substantial caring responsibilities (based on specific benefits received for caring); or

• one parent is employed and one parent is disabled or incapacitated (based on specific benefits)

 

[GFCCCC]

Living Wage; pensions; 30 hours Funding; Pupil Premium: New inspection Framework; British values - to name but a few !!!

 

When do we get time to think about doing what we all went into childcare to do??

[thumperrabbit]

So glad I can't offer 30 hours anyway - but who is meant to check out all the above?!

[Panders]

This is the latest: Childcare Bill Policy Statement.pdf regarding eligibility:

Eligibility for the free entitlement will include households where:

• both parents are working or one parent working in lone parent families, for their children aged three- or four-years-old. This will be defined as earning the equivalent of 8 hours per week on national minimum wage and this can includes self-employment;

• both parents are working (as above) and in receipt of tax credits and/ or universal credit;

• both parents are employed but one or both parent is temporarily away from the workplace on parental, maternity or paternity leave;

• both parents are employed but one or both parent is temporarily away from the workplace on adoption leave;

• both parents are employed but one or both parent is temporarily away from the workplace on statutory sick pay;

• one parent is employed and one parent is has substantial caring responsibilities (based on specific benefits received for caring); or

• one parent is employed and one parent is disabled or incapacitated (based on specific benefits)

 

 

:wacko: :blink: :wacko: :blink:

 

Who's going to police all that lot then?

[eyfs1966]

 

:wacko: :blink: :wacko: :blink:

 

Who's going to police all that lot then?

Not me!!!!!!!!

[sunnyday]

Nor me!

[Fredbear]

Well it certainly won't be me neither.:(

[Littlesparklesnursery]

Not me!

[lsp]

I'm still confused. Parents or parent must work and earn the equivalent of 8 hours on min wage and claiming tax credits. Is that correct?

 

Sooooooo, does that mean they can actually work less hours and earn slightly more per hour and still be eligible???

[MarshaD]

What happens when the parent on maternity, sick, adoption leave etc goes back to work?

[SueJ]

On my twitter feed there is a proposed amendment from a labour peer that all staff must be either qualified to level 3 or working toward that qualification, that ratios should not be changed and that there must be a member of staff suitably qualified to look after disabled children and children with special needs - I cannot seem to post the picture of the amendment put on twitter by the PSLA

[Wildflowers]

What happens when the parent on maternity, sick, adoption leave etc goes back to work?

"The government believes it is right to ensure that there will be a short grace period for families whose circumstances change. This will give parents the opportunity to regain employment and will also give providers certainty that if they offer a place under the new entitlement they will not lose that place immediately if a parent's circumstances change."

[finleysmaid]

and that there must be a member of staff suitably qualified to look after disabled children and children with special needs -

do you know what they are looking for in terms of suitable qualifications?

[SueJ]

do you know what they are looking for in terms of suitable qualifications?

 

No details given for the member of staff in respect of looking after children with SEN and disabilities.

 

I am worried about the level 3 qualification for all - not because we don't aspire to this BUT I have 2 staff over 25 who are currently in the middle of getting their maths and English GCSEs (having been messed about by the entry / exit requirements changes). They can't be apprenticed because of their age and therefore their Early Years Educator qualification has to be paid for - the best quote so far is £2500 - as a setting we just don't have £5K in the budget for this and not all providers are affiliated to the Skills and Learning Council so they wouldn't be able to get adult learner loans - assuming they want to get into debt for this - add to that their (lack of) potential earnings for this A level equivalent qualification and you begin to wonder how many will want to pay that sort of price!

 

It is already difficult to recruit as it is - this proposal wouldn't make it any easier!

[Guest]

Arrrrgghhhhhhhhh!

Really!!

I give in!

This is really getting to me now..I'm sorry but my pay of£9 per hour as a manager with all this responsibility is just not cutting it anymore. I am seriously thinking of going back to assistant or waiting for aldi which is opening near me where I can go and work on the till for£8.50/hr.

I'm really struggling to keep up with all this plus keep up with the pressure of my school wanting me to get outstanding...grrrrrrrr...

[GFCCCC]

I have some real issues with this proposed bill. I can understand the government wanting to make it possible for parents on low pay to work and to cut their own tax credit bill, but:

• If there are two parents working 8 hours each (esp if its on different days or in the evening), then why do they need 30 hours childcare?
• How is this going to help parents who are on zero hours contracts?
• Parents on low pay can already get childcare tax credit to pay for a large part of their childcare so why are settings having to provide it free and suffer from getting a lower rate per hour than they already charge?
• The parents who are going to benefit most are those who already have, and pay for, full time care and who can afford to do so - they are now going to get a huge decrease in fees at a cost to the nursery.
• Settings are being forced to do this at a time when they also have to increase wages and pay pensions.

It seems to me that the government are only obsessed with getting people into work and just don't think their policies out clearly enough before announcing them. It's just like the free school meals for 5-7 year olds which many schools have had to go to huge expense to provide and now the government are talking about possibly scrapping them.

 

When are government going to give the industry the respect to consult with it and listen and value our knowledge and experience (I am reminded of the proposed initiative a few years ago by Ms Truss regarding changing the ratios for two year olds - I was at a conference where she was booed off the stage by childcare professionals when she talked about it and two weeks later she appeared on question time saying that she had consulted with experts in the sector and they were largely in agreement with the proposal!!)

[zigzag]

Sorry to sound bitchy, but so glad to hear that she got booed of stage!!

[Guest]

Can I just ask is it for those parents that are only on minimum wage? I thought it was for all parents that work so long as 8 hours or more? Still would like to know who is going to be responsible for keeping track of parents working hours and wages!!??

[Guest]

We are in an affluent area and I think at the way it stands if it is min wage etc then only one child may get it..not worth staffing or rent costs. I really do think parents have been mislead with this.

[sunnyday]

We are in an affluent area and I think at the way it stands if it is min wage etc then only one child may get it..not worth staffing or rent costs. I really do think parents have been mislead with this.

Absolutely they have - they are still being misled now - had the misfortune to just see a Conservative Party Political Broadcast about 10 minutes ago - they are making this sound like a 'universal' offer.......it's so not

[Rafa]

I have some real issues with this proposed bill. I can understand the government wanting to make it possible for parents on low pay to work and to cut their own tax credit bill, but:

 

• If there are two parents working 8 hours each (esp if its on different days or in the evening), then why do they need 30 hours childcare?
• How is this going to help parents who are on zero hours contracts?
• Parents on low pay can already get childcare tax credit to pay for a large part of their childcare so why are settings having to provide it free and suffer from getting a lower rate per hour than they already charge?
• The parents who are going to benefit most are those who already have, and pay for, full time care and who can afford to do so - they are now going to get a huge decrease in fees at a cost to the nursery.
• Settings are being forced to do this at a time when they also have to increase wages and pay pensions.

It seems to me that the government are only obsessed with getting people into work and just don't think their policies out clearly enough before announcing them. It's just like the free school meals for 5-7 year olds which many schools have had to go to huge expense to provide and now the government are talking about possibly scrapping them.

 

When are government going to give the industry the respect to consult with it and listen and value our knowledge and experience (I am reminded of the proposed initiative a few years ago by Ms Truss regarding changing the ratios for two year olds - I was at a conference where she was booed off the stage by childcare professionals when she talked about it and two weeks later she appeared on question time saying that she had consulted with experts in the sector and they were largely in agreement with the proposal!!)

send your questions to your local Tory MP. Lets see what he/she has to say........