Children to spend longer at nursery in a Government scheme to help working parents
The government is holding a consultation to help working parents, the scheme will mean that a nursery would open longer as early as 6am and close at 8pm. The consultation will also look into the impact of allowing a nursery to open 7 days a week. The Government will invest £1billion in childcare to help boost employment amongst mothers.
The extension of childcare hours is great for working parents but has there been much thought go into how this would have an impact on the actual child. Many children have difficulties being separated from their main carer for short periods of time so by making this time longer this may cause more stress on the child.
Nurseries and childminders will be asked to make a bid which will allow them to offer the free service, these extended hours will save many families around £2500 a year.
Many parents nowadays work shift patterns and struggle to find a nursery to accommodate these hours, however by making childcare more flexible this would help these parents. A flexible approach is very much welcomed by Sam Gyimah, the education, and childcare minister.
Sleep expert Paul Kelley, president of the education section of the British Science Association, said: ‘I strongly urge the government to explore the impact of such early wake times on children’s health and wellbeing before proceeding.’
Claire Paye of Mothers at Home Matter added: ‘Even adults don’t do ten hours a day
What on earth is wrong with these people? As it is these children dont know who their parents are. Recognise that being a parent is a full time and worthwhile job in itself or employ a nanny if you dont want to do it yourself.
How ridiculous I work full time already as a nursery nurse and have a child myself. If they extended the hours when would I see my child.
I am a nusery work too and i work long hours and i 100% agree with you
Make it easier for mums to be able to stay at home with their babies and not have to go back to work! I had to go back full time to be able to afford a mortgage and live, why should it be that it’s financially better for me to work full time and pay for my child to be in nursery 10h p/d 5 days per week than it is for me to work part-time and put my child in nursery part time.
This is ridiculous. I’m an early years practitioner and yes Paul it’s okay to say about sleep. But what about attachment? My degree has taught me and has said that attachment for children in the first 1000 days of a child’s life is important for brain development etc, imagine if a 9 month old baby were to stay these long hours. Who would be their primary caregiver? We would. I would urge someone to do some proper research then maybe negotiate. A child’s life is so important!
What is the point of having children if they are in nurserh that long 11hrs a day is long enough aa it is. Ive been a nursery nurse for 16 years and have had parents tell me thier child has called out for me in the middle of the night after waking from bad dreams. If you choose to have children choose to have a part in thier up bringing too!!
Don’t really know why the government have such a say they don’t pay our wages which are so poor I’m private nurseries yet were expected to do just as much as the schools they don’t care about the care any more it’s all about statistics and numbers
I think this idea is ridiculous, children spend enough time in nursery as it is and some children have speeration issues this would make it worse. I used to work in a privet nursery before having my children and we had babies there as young as 3months, I disagree with this as it is. My personal opinion is that if you want a full time, unsociable hour job/career then maybe children arnt for you. I’m not saying those people shouldn’t have kids just maybe they should wait instead of having children and then complaining that there isn’t enough hours in nurserys etc. This would completely mess with childrens health. I also agree nursery workers, don’t get payed enough for looking after the children, they do all the hard work that I feel the parent should be doing and get payed minimal wages.
The government is so messed up, all they care about is money. No thought for the nursery staff or childminders, no thought for the nannies that would loose their after school jobs (rise in unemployment) and no thought for the children. Its disgusting, what are mothers these days just baby’s machines, pop one out and back to work while some one else raises the child. WTF.
10 hours? The nursery where I work has some children that are in from 7.30 to 6.30, that is 11 hours already. Making nurseries open from 6am to 8pm will mean some children would be there for more than 12 hours and is a crazy idea. And as mentioned already nursery staff have huge responsibilities and must be among the most undervalued workers in terms of pay.
Eh no!..
What snout the staff…have they no entitlement to a home life
Who ever thought this up…..??
Complete madness…
I’m an early years worker and think children spend far to much time in nurseries… 6 hours a day is ample and children should be with parents the rest of time.. I think Children become institunalised..
Furthermore early years practioners are paid pittance and work enough long hours as it is. Perhaps the government should start helping towards paying staff in private day nurseries .. We look after people’s most treasured possessions and deserve much more than the minimum wage!
100% Agree with you ..
Definately agree, the qualifications required and CPD courses such as child protection, first aid, behaviour management, SENs and so on… meen that early years practitioners are extreemly qualified. The pay scales do not reflect the professionalism expected in this field.
Totally agree
I am a nusery work too and i work long hours and i 100% agree with you
Totally agree. ?
My question is simple… Why have children if it means them being seperated from their parents for such LONG hours. Ridiculous!!!!!
totaly agree
100% agree. Children need love and nurture from there parents, not to be on nursery all those hours. They forget that Nursery staff have their own families too and as you say work for pennies. If this comes into effect I can see a lot of staff leaving this profession and that’s for sure !
Here here! Why do people have/want children if they are going to be brought up by someone else and spend no time with them!