How to tell parents about funded hours provision?

**jadavi** · 10-03-2013, 03:38 AM

I would like parents in my local area to know they have an option of using a nursery or a childminder (me or one other) for their 2,3 and 4 year old preschool funded hours. I am quotes sure that this is not public knowledge.
Any ideas other than publishing a £65 short article in our local free magazine?
If I add a preschool nursery section to
My website, will it come up
In google?
Haven't really got the energy or inclination to make up a load of adverts to hang up around town...... When I did this before I didn't get work through it... My work came from childcare.co.uk and word of mouth.

**Koala** · 10-03-2013, 05:06 AM

Hi Jadavi

Before you advertise the FEE 2 year old places just check with the local authority because in Leeds we arn't allowed to advertise these as they are more or less placements for certain children, not like the 3 and 4 year old places which are for everyone.

Advertise at local mums and tots, pram clubs or playgroups as long as its free its worth doing, £65 is a bit steep to recoup from prospective business from the FEE places, especially with all the extra paperwork and frustration when getting payments from the LEA!!!!! They couldn't run a p**s up in a brewery.

Have fun

**sarah707** · 10-03-2013, 08:34 AM

It will come up on your website eventually but it's really important for Google that you work on your links and wording to get them noticed.

You need to write a really good first paragraph because that is what Google looks for when it searches - mention your name, your business name, local schools, your town, your funding, childminder, childminding... key words which will be used when people search for you.

Link it all to blogs and other pages on your website which mention the same words.

Work on reciprocal links with other local businesses / childminders etc as these will boost your Google status.

Hth

**jadavi** · 10-03-2013, 10:47 PM

Thank you!

**Zoomie** · 10-03-2013, 11:02 PM

Don't know how the FFEE works in your area, but in mine, the council has win some lose some policy, which means if a child moves setting after headcount day, you cannot claim that funding, but also the previous setting does not have to give it back.

This had a particularly negative effect on me, as an existing child was claiming some funded hours at the local nursery, but when parents heard that I was accredited, they decided to pull the child from the nursery and use the funding with me. However, as headcount day had passed, I have had to provide this child with funded sessions and I have received no payments for it (this term). I am forbidden from charging the parent for up to 15 hours a week too.

Just be cautious.

**Mouse** · 10-03-2013, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by Zoomie

Don't know how the FFEE works in your area, but in mine, the council has win some lose some policy, which means if a child moves setting after headcount day, you cannot claim that funding, but also the previous setting does not have to give it back.

This had a particularly negative effect on me, as an existing child was claiming some funded hours at the local nursery, but when parents heard that I was accredited, they decided to pull the child from the nursery and use the funding with me. However, as headcount day had passed, I have had to provide this child with funded sessions and I have received no payments for it (this term). I am forbidden from charging the parent for up to 15 hours a week too.

Just be cautious.

That's awful

You should either have told the parent you couldn't take the child on until the start of the new term, or you should have charged the parent for this term and explained that the funding with you wouldn't start until the new term. You didn't have to provide 15 hours a week for free!

On our parent contracts it's made clear that if a parent moves their child after head count day they will be responsible for paying the new provider themselves. Did you speak to your LA about it?

**Zoomie** · 10-03-2013, 11:24 PM

It was all a huge big mess to be honest. As the whole thing unfolded, I was reminded of the rules by the co-ordinator and had to follow them, as I had signed the paperwork. I was very upset in the beginning, but have got over it now, and I will be very cautious when I claim for new children.

**Mouse** · 10-03-2013, 11:29 PM

You poor thing

. That's definitely a warning to others.

**blue bear** · 11-03-2013, 07:07 AM

I had business cards printed up with vista print and put in there that I provide fee, I pinned them up on notice boards, but to be honest it's been word of mouth and finally after offering it for 10 years people are starting to contact me purely because they want the funding with me, which can be a bit bitter sweet because it's only 38 weeks.

**loocyloo** · 11-03-2013, 07:51 AM

i've had children start with me because they get funded sessions, then often they decide they want holiday care too, so pay for holidays, and also most have upped their hours! then rest of my 'regular' mindees all take some of their nursery funding with me as parents like what i offer, and all pretty much do a session or 2 at nursery as they are all in the schools they will go ot, and they want them to mix with the children they will spend the next 7 years with! ( or 15, as most will all go to the same secondary school ... not that i'm looking ahead, but i can't wait for all my mindees to end up at sceondary school together ... i have 5 who will be in the same year !!! )

**Little Puddings** · 11-03-2013, 12:23 PM

I have only been accredited since Nov last year as there was no network in my town until last Sep. I have noone accessing their funded sessions with me yet as I have got a really good nusery less than a 2min walk away and the only child I have that is eligible had an older sibling attend the nursery so it is a bit of a tradition also the child to in question has been saying since last Sep, "I'm going to ........ Nursery School in January" so it wasn't really an option for her to stay with me.

I have added to my profile on childcare.co.uk that I'm an accredited childminder.

**jadavi** · 13-03-2013, 10:59 PM

I have just updated my website using the term nursery as much as possible to flag it up to google.

**jadavi** · 28-03-2013, 10:21 PM

***** are not letting me list my details as a nursery provider!!! They say I am private and not s school! Grrr

**Catterick CM** · 29-03-2013, 02:03 PM

I'm thinking of doing the same, most parents are really surprised when I say childminders can offer these hours. I live two mins from a fab preschool though so don't think ill get much call for the funded hours unfortunately.