25 hrs of free childcare...but will it be free?

[Simona]

As Labour announced it will increase the 15 hours of Free childcare (subsidised I would say!) to 25 hours for 3 and 4 year olds the questions start to be asked who will pay for it and will the Free Entitlement be looked at to reflect and cover our costs?

This is the announcement made today with the promise they will consult with providers

Labour Press (http://labourpress.tumblr.com/post/62052732090/ed-balls-mps-speech-to-labour-party-annual-conference)

These are some of the questions
BBC News - Will free childcare really be free? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24203518)

and some of the responses
National Day Nurseries Association | press releases | Labour Party must look at costings for 25 hour childcare pledge (http://www.ndna.org.uk/news/press+releases/Labour-party-25-hours)

Extended free childcare pledge would provide welcome relief for families in tough times (http://www.4children.org.uk/News/Detail/Extended-free-childcare-pledge-would-provide-welcome-relief-for-families-in-tough-times)

Labour pledges 25 hours of free childcare | Nursery World (http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/article/1212913/labour-pledges-25-hours-free-childcare)

Let's see if Labour will truly consult with us...we know how they will fund it, by raising a levy on the banks, but unless they give us more for the hours who will take it up?...oh...why exclude the 2 year olds ?

[jackie 7]

Julia Hartley brewer on LBC said when she wanted free hours she couldn't get it because the councils didn't give enough money per hour to providers.

[AdeleMarie88]

I hope they look at how much they subside you with as well, a lot of childminders close to me don't participate in free hours as it means a cut in wage per hour, CM fees around here are between £5.50-6 per hour!

[lilac_dragon]

Taking childminders out of this 25 free hours just for a moment- if parents decide they will use those hours with the school nursery, there's going to be an almighty hiccup when the schools close for the holidays and parents realise that childminders are full and there's no alternative holiday care.

[Simona]

Taking childminders out of this 25 free hours just for a moment- if parents decide they will use those hours with the school nursery, there's going to be an almighty hiccup when the schools close for the holidays and parents realise that childminders are full and there's no alternative holiday care.

That's when the school wraparound care will fall apart because schools do not want to be open at half term or school holidays since the Labour plan does not give them any extra money....
I feel this could be good for parents and cms...maybe parents will keep the children with us longer?

we just have to wait and see and be 'consulted' on this...so we have another campaign on our hands
I decided not to go to the conference today after 2 days driving backwards and forwards and I seem to have missed the best bit so far!!!!

Do you remember the woman who was interviewed on Newsnight with Truss some time ago over the free childcare tax? she sat there very composed until it was her turn to speak and then had a real good go at Truss?
Her name is Laura Perrins ...a stay at home mum...she wrote this blog about the proposed wraparound care in schools to become a holding pen for children...I agree with her

Labour want schools to become holding pens - and they have no money to do it - Centre for Policy Studies (http://www.cps.org.uk/blog/q/date/2013/09/23/labour-want-schools-to-become-holding-pens-and-they-have-no-money-to-do-it/)

[rickysmiths]

As I see it labour want to make it compulsory for school to provide the wrap around care but it will not be compulsory for parents to use it.

Laura Perrins seems to think that all children will have to stay in school for these hours but that is not the case. She is very derisory about care for 10 hours a day and children sleeping for 12 hours and she will leave it to a 7 yr old to work out how many hours a child will spend in a day with their parents. Really? A comment like that from a supposedly intelligent, educated woman? Grow up, I have often had children in my care from 7am to 5 or 6 pm 5 days a week. They turn out to be very intelligent, bright, happy, well adjusted children and continue to do so. As long as the parents are upbeat and interested in their children there is no harm and sadly in the real world many parents need childcare for these hours.

[Simona]

Taking childminders out of this 25 free hours just for a moment- if parents decide they will use those hours with the school nursery, there's going to be an almighty hiccup when the schools close for the holidays and parents realise that childminders are full and there's no alternative holiday care.

Very good point and there are many more to hammer home...this is why it is important we join in any consultation the party opens to us...if the funding is only for the 38 weeks of term time then yes those parents will need holiday care as schools will not be that keen to offer that provision
There is the huge problem of low funding and how this may affect cms when parents take up this offer...having thought about it very briefly it could be good but also not so good


Yesterday Sharon Hodgson MP was inviting people to input into the '25 hours free childcare' consultation and June 'O'Sullivan of #ofstedbigconversation is willing to engage as part of the campaign.
We have emailed for the link and as soon as I hear more I will share further info

[hectors house]

I used to look after a little boy (i had him from 6 months until 4 1/2) he is now at a local private day school - his mum chose this school because they offer an after school club as I do not do school pick ups, and as this school is in a village she would have struggled to find a childminder willing to collect him.

This school also runs a holiday club, although the mother is a lecturer in a FE college, she doesn't get all of the school holidays off (I think she gets 8 weeks), she does send the little boy (now 6) a couple of days to the holiday club but will normally send him to me for a day in between as she said they just seem to spend all day charging around the playground on scooters and he does come home exhausted.

[Simona]

I used to look after a little boy (i had him from 6 months until 4 1/2) he is now at a local private day school - his mum chose this school because they offer an after school club as I do not do school pick ups, and as this school is in a village she would have struggled to find a childminder willing to collect him.

This school also runs a holiday club, although the mother is a lecturer in a FE college, she doesn't get all of the school holidays off (I think she gets 8 weeks), she does send the little boy (now 6) a couple of days to the holiday club but will normally send him to me for a day in between as she said they just seem to spend all day charging around the playground on scooters and he does come home exhausted.

Exactly why HH we need to be consulted on implementation...there are so many schemes out there...not all are helpful to parents