Nursery Funding

theworriedwell

Surely paying for 7.65 hrs at nursery isn't going to force her to give up her job? Working three full days a week has to bring in more than the nursery fees.

You would be shocked at nursey prices. After mortgage/rent, childcare is the next largest cost to a young family.

No I'm not shocked, I currently have two grandchildren at nursery, the other six have all been at nursery in the past. Saying one of the OPs DD options is to give up work is frankly ridiculous. She needs to pay for 7.65 hrs a week to enable her to do three full days at work. Even on NMW she'd be on over £100 a day so no I don't believe nursery is so expensive she can't work which is confirmed by the OP who says the cost for those hours plus additional costs come to £400 a month.

Clearly your daughter didn't do her homework.

Funded Hours (Government Support)
• Government-funded hours (15 or 30 depending on eligibility) are usually given term-time only (38 weeks).
• Many nurseries “stretch” these hours across the full year (so instead of 15 hours per week for 38 weeks, you might get ~11 hours per week for 52 weeks) A.
• This means your invoice shows a consistent deduction each month, rather than fluctuating.

It’s not free. It’s a contribution to the cost. Meals etc are not covered.

They are "funded hours" not free hours for term time only so 30x38 or 22 year round

The government rates are often below what it costs to provide the hours - sometimes as little as £3-4 ph in some LAs so nurseries have to look for creative ways to make up the funding

School pre schools often have an advantage financially - they don't open at all outside term time and if they have a qualified teacher they are allowed fewer staff eg
- without a fully qualified teacher 1:8 for 3 year olds
- with a qualified teacher 1:13

Nurseries are allowed to choose how they offer the hours - many do this in sessions so you can only use your hours from - for example - 9-12 and 1-4 so if you want lunchtime or before and after these hours then you have to pay normal rates

The government increases to minimum wage and NI -impacts

Some areas the costs of premises are extortionate

Had I wanted my 3 children to go to nursery I would have had to pay it all. No funding whatsoever 50 years ago. Playgroups also had to be paid for.

Surely she should have clarified all this and fully researched before she went ahead???? Did nursery not go through this with her? I think she has to pay what she owes just now and look again at what she can afford. 10 hours daily,3 days, is a long time to be at nursery???

As a childminder who offers the funded hours I often see parents and grandparents struggling with the amount of funding available to them.
The government has glossed over the fact that the funding that they pay to providers, via their LA who take a % off the amount, does not cover the true cost of providing the care, especially for 3 & 4 year olds.
The amount of hours per year at 30 hours per week over 38 weeks, which is the maximum paid out for, is a total 1140 hours per year. However it is down to each individual setting how they offer these hours, with many now specifying no more than 5 hours per day or even less, with parents then paying inflated fees for the extra hours to make up the loss on the funded hours. We are not allowed to charge a ‘top up’ fee per hour, therefore the private hours costs have gone up considerably. Additionally we can only as for a voluntary contribution for food, outings and specialist activities which occur during the funded hours. Nurseries, especially, are needing to be inventive in the way they cover their costs. The NI rise etc in April was not reflected in the funding given to providers and therefore they have to cover those costs out of an already overstretched budget.

Theworriedwell
£400pm could easily tip a low paid couples over the poverty line

Well I work in a nursery and the funding can seem very complicated. We have term time non funding for the three year olds. Codes to apply etc. check with the nursery manager she should help and give clarity.

Well explained cold better than me.

Lolsnan

Theworriedwell
£400pm could easily tip a low paid couples over the poverty line

Giving up a job when it pays more than £400 per month because £400 will go on childcare will push you further over the poverty line.