Early Implementors Applications sent out

[BroadOaks]

Im sure other settings will have received theirs also but i wanted to make a thread about it and to quote the positive part financially at least..

 

 

The Government has committed to increase the rate paid to providers for the delivery of the entitlement. We are undertaking a review of the cost of providing childcare which will report in the autumn. The purpose is to determine an increase to the rate that is fair to providers and value for money to the tax payer.

The findings from the review will feed directly into the Spending Review, which will report on 25 November. This is where decisions about future funding rates will be made. Funding will be allocated on a ‘participation’ basis, i.e. funding will be allocated for every eligible child who accesses additional funded hours.

 

So what do you make of this?! And will this sway you to want to now give the 30 hours free hours?

[BroadOaks]

Woops possible wrong section alert!

[mrsbat]

My main 'gripe' with this idea isn't actually the funding it is having the spaces available..... the absolute maximum amount of hours we can open per week is 28 as we are in a village hall which is also used by other groups. Currently we have over 50 children on role so theoretically to enable parents to take up the 30 hours offer we would almost have to cut in half the amount of children we have registered ...... I know not all 3 year olds will be entitled to the 30 hours but it almost feels like we will have to 'cut out' those that aren't in order to give those that are the hours they need....if that makes sense.....

[thumperrabbit]

Well we can't even open for the 15 hours let alone 30!

Does this mean we won't even be considered for an increase in funding ?

[sunnyday]

We can't/won't be offering 30 hours - I do hope that we are not going to be penalised for this.......

[blondie]

where is the list of those la that want to take this offer up early please?

[Mouseketeer]

We are open just over 30 hours a week but half of our children, but it would depend how many actually meet the criteria to get 30 hrs, if it only a few then maybe we could, but if it was a high number then we could if we dropped the number of children not in recent, so where will they then get their 15 hours ?

[lynned55]

Thumperabbit-

Surely any increase in funding will be per hour for any amount of hours? So if (dont laugh) it goes up to £6 per hour for 3/4 year funding then it must be whether you do 6 hours per week or 30. I cant see how it will work if there is one rate for those doing 30 hours and one for those doing 15 hours.

[thumperrabbit]

Thumperabbit-

Surely any increase in funding will be per hour for any amount of hours? So if (dont laugh) it goes up to £6 per hour for 3/4 year funding then it must be whether you do 6 hours per week or 30. I cant see how it will work if there is one rate for those doing 30 hours and one for those doing 15 hours.

I hope so - reading the first line of the quote Broadoaks posted you could take it either way?!

[Inge]

Funding will be allocated on a ‘participation’ basis, i.e. funding will be allocated for every eligible child who accesses additional funded hours.

 

I agree that statement posted could indicate that there will be one rate for the 15 hours and a different one for any that access the additional hours..

As usual ambiguous wording..

[sunnyday]

 

As usual ambiguous wording..

 

Which is massively unhelpful - I am planning for September 2016 - busy collecting completed Application forms and beginning to think about how to fit children in........that's all great but will I still be running my super little pre-school (?) - really won't be able to carry on if there is not a funding increase across the board

[Rafa]

Thumperabbit-

Surely any increase in funding will be per hour for any amount of hours? So if (dont laugh) it goes up to £6 per hour for 3/4 year funding then it must be whether you do 6 hours per week or 30. I cant see how it will work if there is one rate for those doing 30 hours and one for those doing 15 hours.

Sadly I can lynedd55. I think just like the two rates for 3/4 yr funding and 2yr funding. I think they will come up with:

 

funding rate for up to 15 hours = (a joke) and 16 - 30 hours will be £6.00???

 

This will enable the government to keep costs down whilst going ahead with their policy. Also as I've said before, think they will use this method to get all us naysayers to toe the line and try to up our settings hours!

 

But then again....I am a cynic!

[lynned55]

Oh dear, given the way this has been thought through so far I wouldnt be surprised if you are right. However surely they must realise if its a higher funding level for 16-30 hours it will just encourage settings to claim 16 instead of 15 hours.

[thumperrabbit]

Which is massively unhelpful - I am planning for September 2016 - busy collecting completed Application forms and beginning to think about how to fit children in........that's all great but will I still be running my super little pre-school (?) - really won't be able to carry on if there is not a funding increase across the board

In the same situation Sunnyday, I feel like I don't even want to think about September when it's all so up in the air but then it's part of our job to keep us running - I just wish they'd just get on with it at least we'd know where we stand

[BroadOaks]

I would just like to add that the statement came from the early Implements paperwork so might not be the final decisions. I guess once they have trialed it and done more research we will know more.

 

The Conservatives seem to want to cut Tax Credits for 3 million families to save money to create this Higher Waged, Lower Income Tax but Lower Welfare system, and to cut spending to pay off our massive "deficit" BUT promised to offer 30 hours funding. Yes they basically said this to get the votes of course. it was a win win and it worked for them. They mentioned they would cut the welfare bill by 12billion but they did say they wouldn't cut tax credits at any point.. although the majority of voters who rely on Tax Credits typically vote Labour.

 

They then cleverly said they would increase the income tax threshold, increase the NMW and give 3/4 year old children 30 hours childcare. This sounded very appealing of course.. and many more people would benefit from this of course. The only problem is with the budget being very tight that they can't afford a decent police force, never mind anything else, they didn't really think the finances through when making these bold statements. Like many i did not vote Conservatives even though it sounded appealing for the childcare sector, and the reason was they simply do not stick to their promises!

 

So where will they find this extra money to pay for this?

 

Who is this actually benefiting from this 30 hours if it's for working families? it certainly won't help the unemployment figures if it does actually allow more parents back into more hours of work?

 

Anyway i think the points i was trying to make was that maybe this is going to fail before it even get's going, we will see!

[BroadOaks]

Well we had our Workshop last night on this Early Implementation LA bid. Didn't get the best turnout but our area seems to have many settings looking to be early implementors and have emailed our LA to express their interest.

 

The workshop was more of a a way to allow settings to express their ideas on to how the LA could put in a strong bid on behalf of the settings. The government are allowing many LA's to implement this scheme of course but there is only 13 million in the pot (if my memory serves me right)

 

So the general census from the settings that attended seemed to look towards a better Networking of childcare providers within areas of our Town. Using Children's center's as Hubs maybe where vacancies can be found within a parent's area, and also where are best providers to take children who need additional support would be, from past successes. It is looking likely that settings will have to share resources or have the same behaviour procedures in place etc for consistences if a child is to attend 2 or more settings for their full entitlement.

 

A nice idea would be a mobile app for example that shows parent's or anybody a map of your local area, and then the providers who have available space or hours upon it.. and maybe with further info on each provider showing past success stories or strengths of these providers to best suit parents. Maybe a funded shuttle service for logistics if parent's are unable to transport due to work commitments.

 

At the moment both parent's (where applicable) need to be working or equivalent to 8 hours at minimum wage to qualify.. and this 30 hours funding is to encourage parent's to work more hours where possible and bring family's out of poverty. So it was again ideas to show how the LA could encourage this also and how settings could really help. Again these hubs possibly based at children's centers could be a key to this?

 

Still no mention of the amounts per hour yet but they are looking to increase it but as we know it all depends on the review at the end of the month.

 

So yes it was a nice meeting and some providers had some great ideas for this bid and are very keen to be an early implementer, and are keen to be Guinea pigs, in effect, and pool a lot of information from this process back to the government throughout the process.

 

Well this is an outline of the workshop i attended and i hope yours goes well

[Littlesparklesnursery]

Thanks for this.

 

Until they don't tell us the BIG secret (rate p/hr) I'm not showing any interest

[sunnyday]

Many thanks for sharing Broadoaks :1b

[Rafa]

Thanks for this.

Until they don't tell us the BIG secret (rate p/hr) I'm not showing any interest

Well exactly Littlesparklesnursery, how can we even contemplate it without knowing wether or not it will be affordable??

 

Show Us The Money!!!

[bubblejack]

Thank you for sharing. Does anyone know if parents that earn above the minimum wage will qualify

[BroadOaks]

here's the guidance i just realised it would be easier to share this

 

https://www.scribd.com/doc/289323905/Early-Implmentation-EOI-Guidance-FINAL

[BroadOaks]

Also to answer questions regarding eligibility:

 

12. What will be the eligibility criteria for parents to be able to access the

additional hours for their child(ren)?

Eligibility for the free entitlement will include households where:

 both parents are working or one parent working in lone parent families.

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 in receipt of carers

allowance (or receives the carer element of Universal Credit); or

 one parent is employed and one parent is disabled or incapacitated

(based on specific benefits).

Further details will be published in due course.

[BroadOaks]

Ohhhh and to also add - some kind of good news i think:

 

Universal Credit is set to pay parents more for actually being in work more!! So it will be for the 1st year of a new born babies life they will get a standard amount depending on income, but then parents are expected to get back into work gradually and the amount of benefits will reduce as the child gets older and hours being worked will therefor need to increase gradually as payments are reduced. So parents are going to need to take up the childcare offers more and more rather than having more "me time!"

 

On the flip side I am unsure how this will effect unemployment figures though with more people needing limited jobs!! Swings and roundabouts!

[Rafa]

From a different angle - still think its a failure of this country that Mums ir Dads are'nt encouraged to nuture their OWN children!

At least until the social stage of 2+. Hearing all the hoo ha on the news about breastfeeding at work.......... a case of drop and run I think!

[Guest]

I may be being a bit numb but in times gone by in my LA all school nurseries were 30 hours a week so if this happened again and schools took these children in and left the 2 and other 3 year olds to PVI's then surely we will all still be in a job ( thats if we want to stay in a job ) ?

[BroadOaks]

WELL - lets look at this from a different angle in a controversial way! Just let me put my tinfoil hat on..

 

What if the "powers that be" want children away from the family and into an environment that this child is required to follow "law and order" ie to train our children from a younger age to follow rules and order so that in the future they are brainwashed into following what the government say.

 

At the same time they are removing the bonds of children with their parents or family members and including the TV programs that children are brainwashed with that are simply "anti-family" or just damn right strange in my opinion! They are full of subliminal messages, along with the pop stars and films children and teenagers watch.. it all adds up to a cocktail of low values!

 

The entertainment industry is so powerful that the effects on our younger generation are very negative.. and a little weird actually!

[Rafa]

Oo - ay Broadoaks!! Thats very 'Big Brother' thinking..........

 

 

..... perhaps Mr C got the idea from his teatime chat with the Chinese President eh?? Perhaps the 'Trade Deals' was just a cover!!!

[BroadOaks]

If Mr C took advise from the Chinese president then that actually might help in a few areas that are failing in this country.. i would be happy for us to join the BRICS nations in fact and get away from this weird political power struggle that the IMF and World bank etc create (the powers that be as i referred to)

 

Unfortunately it is not Mr C who decides who we can trade with, that comes from Brussels like many many other things

 

I do like to think of things from 'outside the box' that is for sure!

[Littlesparklesnursery]

Our LA have withdrawn there early implementors application due to lack of funding information from central government.

[lashes2508]

Yes we were told Essex have done the same at the briefing the other night , there was a lot of honesty and views expressed in the room and let's hope they listen to us and understand the need for increase in funding whether it's 15 or 30 hours .

 

Personally when they announced the criteria for 30 hours I was astounded , where's the support for the hard working parents who are still forking out huge amounts for childcare , they are continually penalised and why would a parent who only works 8 hours need childcare for 30 !

 

When it came to the support the LA offer ( don't offer now ) my answer was - get rid of Ofsted and let the LA assess their early years settings !!

Edited November 21, 2015 by lashes2508