FSFRebecca Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 This Nursery World item hit the headlines over the summer, when I was on my hols, and I missed it ... it is referred to again today in the Nursery World letters section. Have any of you actually been told this by your local authority or is it a comment that's got a little bit out of hand? Struggling nurseries told to do parents' ironing and use volunteers
Stargrower Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 When I read that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As the manager of a nursery in the second lowest funded local authority in the country, I can't really say any more!
FSFRebecca Posted September 7, 2017 Author Posted September 7, 2017 When I read that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As the manager of a nursery in the second lowest funded local authority in the country, I can't really say any more! Do you think it's true?
Panders Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 Hopefully, mine's got more sense! They know what they can go and do if they even suggest it ::1a
trekker Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 well that's the most ridiculous thing ever!!!! what a cheek!!! Would the people suggesting this also accept the same wage despite their role / qualifications / length of service and everything else they've suggested...I rather doubt it. :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:
sunnyday Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 Dear goodness - what a flippin' cheek - can't say anymore really as it would be an expletive filled rant :angry: 1
louby loo Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 We were having a laugh/discussion at work about what you 'could' do for parents to make extra money if you wanted to. But it's a whole new ball game if you 'had' to do them just to make enough money in the first place! I think a fair few of our parents would more than happily pay for a coffee on the way out ... :lol: :lol: :lol: - ----- but then we would actually have to pay for a rather fancy coffee machine :rolleyes: ......... but that led to a discussion as to whether or not Ofsted would accept 'well 4 members of staff have completed full Barista training this term'.. :lol: :lol: :lol: 5
SueFinanceManager Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 Now there's an idea...turn your home corner into a coffee shop for real :P
Rafa Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 I believe it was a suggestion given from one of the management groups brought in for the 30hrs 'workshops'. 1
mundia Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 We have a couple of nurseries who do have a coffee machine in their entrance for parents on the go to purchase. 1
Stargrower Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 What makes me cross, is that they lump domestic tasks such as ironing and providing meals with childcare. Does the service we provide for our families have the same value to the people who thought of these ideas? Cleaning, ironing, cooking, providing drinks, oh and a bit of childcare. Don't worry about the education bit, that can be left to schools. GRRRRRR! 2
SueJ Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 When I was told about this my first thought was whether the children would have the physical development skills to undertake this job my second thought was then to expand on this and determine whether there was much call for chimney sweeping or whether we had any cotton mills that required small children and what sort of prices I might get if I hired them out :rolleyes: On a more serious note however how bl***y" insulting is this (if indeed it is true) to even suggest it - along with the suggestion that staff work in a voluntary capacity for a term to make ends meet - really they want staff to work for 14 weeks for no pay so that a couple earning perhaps £199,999.98 per annum can access 30 hours "free" childcare. I can see the look if it was suggested that said business advisors volunteer their services for 14 weeks to help councils "make ends meet". Many years ago my LA send a "business advisor" to me to undertake a cost analysis - they managed at that time to produce figures that showed I could deliver my service at the exact hourly rate that we were being paid by the LA for funded hours - strange that - closer inspection however revealed that I would not be meeting my some of my statutory employer duties including paying holiday pay - when that was taken into account a somewhat different hourly rate was reached!! There is just no understanding of the early years service model by most people and there is a distinct lack of wanting to understand as well because that would mean admitting that funding does not cover costs - unless of course you want to warehouse children rather than provide a quality childcare and education experience for them - or if all else fails farm them out to the nearest launderette :wacko: 5
Mouseketeer Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 I believe it was a suggestion given from one of the management groups brought in for the 30hrs 'workshops'. It was definitely a suggestion made by an HMRC (rep) I think at a roadshow I was on, along with preparing breakfasts for parents to take away as they dropped their children off....the fact you'd need to employ someone to iron and cook (if you didn't compromise your ratios) seemed overlooked :-/
zigzag Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 I read about this and just thought it was one of those myths that do the rounds every so often, I am shocked that it was a serious suggestion. Did anyone see the One show last week where a nursery was piloting having parents come in and 'work' on a rota basis. It was to encourage parents to engage with the nursery but then they gave the reason it also saves on staffing costs! I just do not understand where all this is going to end, it makes me feel very sad.
Helen Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 It was definitely a suggestion made by an HMRC (rep) I think at a roadshow I was on, along with preparing breakfasts for parents to take away as they dropped their children off....the fact you'd need to employ someone to iron and cook (if you didn't compromise your ratios) seemed overlooked :-/ Does anyone else have any information on this? Were you there? Did you actually hear it said?
Mouseketeer Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 (edited) I think I may have a hand out from their power point that suggested it...will have a rummage It was sold as a 'nursery is already successfully doing this' ...maybe they have a cook, they'd be getting cornflakes if they were relying on me doing breakfasts :-D Edited September 8, 2017 by Mouseketeer 2
FSFRebecca Posted September 8, 2017 Author Posted September 8, 2017 I think I may have a hand out from their power point that suggested it...will have a rummage It was sold as a 'nursery is already successfully doing this' ...maybe they have a cook, they'd be getting cornflakes if they were relying on me doing breakfasts :-D It would be great if you could actually find where the 'story' came from!
Haykid Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 Were you at Dorset Roadshow Mouseketeer? I came out of that meeting fuming! There was definitely a suggestion that we offered other services for parents as well as accepting payment 'in kind' such as accepting a haircut as payment! I was so insulted by the whole tone of the speech: there is no way someone would think it was acceptable to go into a school and make suggestions like that. 1
narnia Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 Really?? I haven't got any money, but my hair looks absolutely STUNNING'!! 2
Mouseketeer Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 (edited) Were you at Dorset Roadshow Mouseketeer? I came out of that meeting fuming! There was definitely a suggestion that we offered other services for parents as well as accepting payment 'in kind' such as accepting a haircut as payment! I was so insulted by the whole tone of the speech: there is no way someone would think it was acceptable to go into a school and make suggestions like that.I was Haykid !! Nice to meet another dorseteer...I forgot about the trade off ...so when we're all tax dodging that will be ok will it? It certainly caused a hubbub didn't it Rebecca I don't like doing my own flipping ironing let alone anyone else's, it was a childcare workforce person giving a presentation ,that suggested it as another setting was successfully doing this to increase Income, I presume they were working their way around the country, it wasn't actually our county suggesting it, can't find the paperwork, must have filed it under c*** It wasn't just breakfast, but a meal ready to pick up on collection as the parents have had a long day ....we've had a b****y long day, who's cooking our dinner !!! Edited September 8, 2017 by Mouseketeer 2
Rafa Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 Our whole sector has been totally devalued since the 30hr malarkey started. Suddenly the need to have "highly qualified staff" in place (QTS even) has been replaced with - doing parental chores for them, putting donation buckets out, staff to 'volunteer' rather than be paid!! Are they having a Laugh???? Because we are NOT laughing! Read a quote from one very furious Practitioner which kind of sums it up for me.... To the Dfe: why write the EYFS if your not prepared to honour it's values!! We've been sold out. 7
louby loo Posted September 9, 2017 Posted September 9, 2017 Our whole sector has been totally devalued since the 30hr malarkey started. Suddenly the need to have "highly qualified staff" in place (QTS even) has been replaced with - doing parental chores for them, putting donation buckets out, staff to 'volunteer' rather than be paid!! Are they having a Laugh???? Because we are NOT laughing! Read a quote from one very furious Practitioner which kind of sums it up for me.... To the Dfe: why write the EYFS if your not prepared to honour it's values!! We've been sold out. Perhaps we should follow the example of Australian's childcare workers - and have take mass strike action ?
sunnyday Posted September 9, 2017 Posted September 9, 2017 Perhaps we should follow the example of Australian's childcare workers - and have take mass strike action ? I'm in :1b 2
SueJ Posted September 9, 2017 Posted September 9, 2017 I've been advocating it for years - one day of mass action each month and just perhaps someone might listen :rolleyes: 3
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