Funding review (30 hrs childcare)

[Simona]

Nicky Morgan gave evidence to the Education Select Committee and there is reference to the funding review
If you are interested please read her answers

The childcare issue starts at page 11...page 13 is where she talks about LAs 'Top slicing' and refers to an 'average' rate of funding.
Both are a cause of worry

http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/education-committee/role-and-responsibilities-of-the-secretary-of-state/oral/21398.pdf

[Mouse]

At least she has acknowledged that the level of funding isn't sufficient and that LAs are responsible for keeping a large proportion of the funding.

It wasn't all that long ago that ministers were oblivious to the fact that childcare providers weren't receiving all the funding and seemed surprised (or didn't believe) that LAs were keeping so much.

[BallyH]

Thank you Simona for the interesting link and yes Mouse it does highlight that LA's are taking a large slice of the top of our funding. When I first started taking funded children I naively thought the payment came direct from the government and everyone got paid the same. I wonder if I was alone in thinking this? So I am very pleased that LA's can't hide this fact anymore and have to be accountable. We'll wait and see.

[Simona]

Nicky Morgan would be respected if she admitted why the funding issue is in such a mess....and why she is now looking at how her own DfE dept can fund this promise of 30 hrs announced in a hurry before the election

She did not know at the time of the election that the chancellor was going to ask most depts. to make further cuts...some up to 40% and includes the DfE which was previously free from cuts.

it was her govt in 2010 who was responsible for removing the 'ringfencing' for the EY budget....the LAs then started to top slice and move our funding to other areas to balance the books...surely she knows that?

It was this govt who cut the funding to LAs in 2010...again she must know that?

In 2012 Truss herself announced the funding should be at least £5.09 in all LAs...that did not happen.

Sam Gyimah last year said 'we will try to encourage the LAs' to pass on more of their funding to providers...nothing happened but later admitted we were underfunded.

Nick Clegg at his own mini conference last year promised the same....to encourage LAs to pass on more money to providers....his own 'free school meals' idea has been thrown out.

The funding review is now looking at an 'average' funding amount....mmm... that's is not what we were made to understand

The 30 hrs has been brought forward to 2016 ...one year ahead of schedule...and trialled by those volunteers who can provide 'innovative ideas' and the invitation came through after we responded to the consultation.
To me that means the DfE needs ideas because they have none?

At the same time the 'Tax Free Childcare' scheme has also been delayed

I shall look forward to the Big Childcare Conversation and listen to what other providers feel about this matter and how they will respond to stay in business.