Nursery World piece: Counting the cost of early years funding shortfalls

[FSFRebecca]

Nursery World has today published a extended opinion piece by Neil Leitch CEO of Pre-school Learning Alliance which responds to the Government's recent evaluation of the 30 hours scheme. It is available in the non-member area of the Nursery World site and is definitely well worth a read. Counting the cost of early years funding shortfalls

[GFCCCC]

Just out of interest (between us, we represent many different types of settings - so could give a fairly balanced view) is there anyone who has found the 30 hours okay (notwithstanding the problems with the website and the getting new codes etc.) in terms of take up, funding, sustainability etc.  

[Stargrower]

It's a great deal for parents, but not for providers.  We are hugely underfunded and several settings in our county have closed.  Take up is high for us as other local settings aren't making a flexible offer and are being very restrictive with hours, not stretching funding etc.  We have had a really high take up for stretched funding meaning our quiet school holidays are a thing of the past and I have had to rethink staffing at this time.  To combat the underfunding, we  have to keep our under threes provision jam packed.  So, as the saying goes, it's a "no" from me!

 

[finleysmaid]

2 hours ago, GFCCCC said:

Just out of interest (between us, we represent many different types of settings - so could give a fairly balanced view) is there anyone who has found the 30 hours okay (notwithstanding the problems with the website and the getting new codes etc.) in terms of take up, funding, sustainability etc.  

We have had to restrict the amount we offer/ change the flexible offer for the 15 hour children/ charge for the lunch club half hour and ask for donations for things....apart from that it's fine!!!!!

as I have said previously I object to being referred to as being HAPPY to offer this. I really didn't have much of a choice!

[Mouseketeer]

I’ve just scanned through our new funding agreement, ‘free’ shows up 56 times and I probably missed a few 

Our funded 3&4yr olds just this term are under-funded by £1400 to our fee charge x 3 terms and then some, our take up is lower, we normally have more chn doing over 15hrs with us, when parents had to pay they stayed with us, upped their hours and family and friends did the drop off/pick up but now it is ‘f#@& they are using settings with longer hours more to take the pressure off family & friends :-( 

[FSFRebecca]

15 hours ago, Stargrower said:

It's a great deal for parents, but not for providers.  We are hugely underfunded and several settings in our county have closed.  Take up is high for us as other local settings aren't making a flexible offer and are being very restrictive with hours, not stretching funding etc.  We have had a really high take up for stretched funding meaning our quiet school holidays are a thing of the past and I have had to rethink staffing at this time.  To combat the underfunding, we  have to keep our under threes provision jam packed.  So, as the saying goes, it's a "no" from me!

 

That is our experience too, we had the busiest summer holiday ever. It's awkward explaining to parents what the extra charges are for and staff don't like being made to account for every banana or cracker to parents who want 'free'.