Parents confused over the interpretation of the 30hrs free childcare scheme
Many parents feel that government have communicated the 30hrs free childcare scheme wrongly. It has now been left to Childcare providers to explain that it is not free at the point of delivery, causing confusion for parents.
With the 30hrs being introduced in September, nurseries are considering whether to offer the scheme. Many nurseries fear they will not become sustainable, as some funding rates are being reduced. Not only will nurseries see an increase in the shortfall of funding, a raise in minimum wages and business rates is also going to hurt many businesses.
With a fifth of nurseries now pulling out on offering the funding, there will be shortage of childcare places, meaning it is the children and families that are going to lose out. However, there is no incentive for childcare providers to offer this scheme.
Many nurseries across the country are looking at how best to provide this scheme and are looking at ways to help decrease the shortfall they are going to be hit with. Charging parents for additional services is also causing confusion for parents and upset for nurseries as this charge is only optional and many parents will opt out paying this charge.
It is governments aim to help working parents with the cost of childcare, but many nurseries will not be around in the future to offer childcare unless something is done to help childcare providers. Children will miss out on their early education, potentially causing some children to fall behind when starting school. With the government’s aim of narrowing attainment gaps, how will this be achieved when childcare places are being reduced? and again it will be the children who are going to suffer.
Many childcare providers are more than happy to offer the extra hours but not if they are going to be offering these places at a loss.
It would be good to hear how other nurseries are feeling about this whole situation and how they communicated it more effectively to parents?