Extra 2.5hours free entitlement 3/4year olds.

[Marie-louise]

Hi all,
just got a letter today sent home from my sons nursery. From September 2010 all 3/4 year olds will be entitled to another 2.5hours free childcare per week. This means 3/4 year olds will be in nursery for 5 x 3 hour sessions instead of the 5 x 2.5 hours they receive now. They are proposing to start the school day at 8.30am for nursery children but still 8.55am for the rest of the school. I have a son in nursery and a daughter in full time, there is no way i personally will do two school runs am, plus my mindees arrive between 8am and 8.30am.
I will be losing £35 per month as soon as this starts as one of my mindees is in nursery with my son, so they will go to nursery (afternoons at present) half an hour earlier which will reduce my fee by 10 hour a month.
Good for parents maybe, but not so good for childminders :-(

[monkey62]

I'm sorry to hear you are loosing money.. but some nurserys already started, my son goes at a nursery since April term (just for free entitelment) and he goes 5 hours for 3 days( which is 15 h).

[Mouse]

Our school nursery will be offering 2 and a half days from Sept. Two days at 9am-3pm and one day at 9am-12noon.

It's causing problems for a few minders & parents. Eg, I look after a lo who starts nursery in Sept. Initially the idea was that mum was going to drop her at nursery & I would collect her at 11.30am and have her for the afternoon. I would still be paid for the whole day. Now though, mum would drop her off & want me to collect her at 3.00pm. But that would mean I couldn't take on another EY child, as her daughter would be with me from 3pm and through the holidays. That works fine for a school age child, but not a younger one.

[auntym]

If they still expect you to have them in the holidays or if emergency closure. You still charge full days.

[The Juggler]

if you are still taking and picking up, then I'd still charge. However, I would not be happy with the two school runs! Our nursery is offering it as 2.5 hours class time then the extra hours can be taken in their wraparound service.

[sandy64]

hi they have already started it here i charge a daily fee so doesnt affect me, maybe worth changing:)

[miffy]

If they still expect you to have them in the holidays or if emergency closure. You still charge full days.

I agree, in theory! In practice many parents send their children to school/nursery to save money and aren't willing to pay for a full days care.

Miffy xx

[Mouse]

If they still expect you to have them in the holidays or if emergency closure. You still charge full days.

Unfortunately parents are starting to ask for before & after "school" hours for the nursery children, as they do for the school age children. They want the same contracts as the school age children ie. before & after school & full days during the holidays. They don't understand that the nursery children count in the EY numbers and expect it to be the same as for school age children.
I don't think there will be many who are prepared to pay a full day's childcare for before & after nursery. The don't do it for school age children so don't want to do it for nursery children who are in school for the same hours.

[RainbowMum]

They've been running the pilot for this in our area, the upside is as an accredited childminder I can offer 15 hours funded over a minimum of 2 days - and they've put the funding up to £5 per hour = this means the one funded child I have who comes for 1 x 10 hour day is getting free child care term time - she uses the other 5 hours for 2 x preschool sessions and mum is happy to pay then preschool for a 3rd session as its much less than paying me!
Our school nursery has kept the start time as same as school - its daft to expect people to come twice of a morning!

[SmartKids]

I am accredited - and lucky you wherever you are gettting £5 per hour - ours has been reduced from £3.50 to £3.20 which is less than I charge per hour so I am out of pocket. Back to original thread - like others have said - I charge while they are at playgroup as you rightly point out they come into your 3 under 5's and also - who would be doing duty and do they want you those hours in holidays as I would be inclined to tell them they are not available if they are under school age or charge for 1/2 hour after and before drop off/pick up - or you could put up your hourly rate as it is less hours and charge a minimum per day as they are taking up the space - good luck

[auntym]

Id offer the parent the option as I already have done. If they dont need that day in the hols or in case of closure then I wont charge as can offer that space to another under 5. If they want it they pay. I cant afford to let a full time space go for a parent that only wants to pay for holiday cover. Id explain you cant take on another child so your losing money like water! Or maybe if you really didnt wan2 do that compromise with half fee while at nursery x

[ChocolateChip]

Our nursery has been doing this since Sept. but the hours are 9-12, or 12.30-3.30, or parents can purchase extra hours by either the child staying/ coming for lunch or a full day, so it's all still within the normal school day.
I have got two that have started at nursery since coming to me and I still charge their normal fees whether they are with me or at school, that way their places are still available in the holidays (they both come all year round), if anything should change or school has to close for some reason.
Sorry to be thick but I don't understand why the nursery is opening so early, I would just say to parents that I would not be prepared to do 2 school runs because of other children arriving, etc. so if they want to come the normal rates/hours still apply.
Is the school having a consultation meeting? I would be querying the reasons they have picked that time, not just as a cm but as a parent, doesn't make sense to me- either they have a breakfast club for all children or they don't have one at all, not 2 different start times!

[The Juggler]

I am accredited - and lucky you wherever you are gettting £5 per hour - ours has been reduced from £3.50 to £3.20 which is less than I charge per hour so I am out of pocket. Back to original thread - like others have said - I charge while they are at playgroup as you rightly point out they come into your 3 under 5's and also - who would be doing duty and do they want you those hours in holidays as I would be inclined to tell them they are not available if they are under school age or charge for 1/2 hour after and before drop off/pick up - or you could put up your hourly rate as it is less hours and charge a minimum per day as they are taking up the space - good luck

well if our LA got of it's ar*** and created a network we'd have that option:angry: however, as they don't it means losing parents who expect the after school-type contracts unfortunately. Hopefully most will keep them on but it's hard explaining why we charge the full day - and it's a lot of money to them that they don't "need" to be paying.:(

[jo f]

My mindee is goin to pre school next year she will be there from 9-12 currently its 11.30. I will only getting paid from 12 which I have said I can do unless I get someone wanting full time hours. I mentioned hols and i think it had not been thought about that my contracted hours will start at 12!

[brillminder]

make your hourly rate higher and don't for get to charge travelling time as they are not dropping at your house

[Lincsminder]

well if our LA got of it's ar*** and created a network we'd have that option:angry: however, as they don't it means losing parents who expect the after school-type contracts unfortunately. Hopefully most will keep them on but it's hard explaining why we charge the full day - and it's a lot of money to them that they don't "need" to be paying.:(

I have been on at our Birth to five services and the LEA about this. According to this (http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/resources-and-practice/IG00689/) link they should have something in place by September this year so childminders should be able to access the funding.

[The Juggler]

I have been on at our Birth to five services and the LEA about this. According to this (http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/resources-and-practice/IG00689/) link they should have something in place by September this year so childminders should be able to access the funding.

I know:angry: :angry: we have our local forum on June 5th and I will be bringing it up. Thanks for link hon

[Marie-louise]

Hi,
I spoke to nursery about my view yesterday, there is going to be a meeting next month, but, if the nursery does open at 8.30am (very likely) then my daughter and one mindee would be able to go into breakfast club for 50p a day -but not for breakfast, just to be cared for till school starts. Parent pays me for one hour before and two after at the mo, how long till she wants to change to just after :-(
I still need to ask another parent if they can bring their child earlier as at the minute the drop off is 8.30.
My other mindee is at nursery with my son, I only charge hours needed as he is also my nephew and im not needed in hols as its term time only, but in the future i will just have to charge a session time so hopefully i wont lose out.
I do think this is going to affect us all in the long run as schools are providing longer hours, with breakfast club and afterschool clubs we are not going to be needed, or if we are it will only be holiday cover. Not good.