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Great childcare discussion on funding on you and yours- radio 4 as I type.
Talking about nurseries closing and childminders leaving the profession and under funding issues currently.
You can catch it on bbc sounds later.
Brought back to me all the daily funding issues I had to jiggle to make a decent salary and makes me think of you all.
Hope everybody currently is doing ok.
I guess im an exception to most the funding in my area is equivalent (more in the case of 2 year old funding).
Our la is great at paying 70% at the start of the term the rest usually just after half term.
I do realise im lucky and feel sorry for the setting who arecstruggling.
Our LA pays more than most childminders in the area charge, which is good. Unfortunately I charge more than most other childminders so the rate paid by the LA is 50p an hour less than I charge. Luckily I can cover the difference with a voluntary charge, which all parents are happy to pay.
Our LA is also good at paying on time - 60% before the start of the term and the rest towards the end of the term. They did do a consultation on introducing monthly payments, but the majority voted against it. I much prefer the lump sum payments although I can see why some would prefer monthly.
The rate for funded 2 year olds is good, 45p an hour more than I charge. The only issue I have with taking on a fully funded 2 year old is that when they turn 3 I either have to charge my voluntary fee, or suggest they go to nursery instead. It's either that or I lose over £7.50 a week.
I’m surviving by charging a ‘voluntary charge’. Parents never questioned it but their children have been with me since babies. We get paid monthly but it’s more paperwork and deadlines to keep.
We get paid monthly.
I don't take new children on who only want to use funding, and i only offer the universal hours, not the 30 hrs. I then charge a session fee for the hours a child is with me which is about the same as the full fees for the hours a child does each day, minus the funded hours/LA payment. Everyone is happy with this.
I don't offer funding at all! Anyone else not offer it?
mumofone, that's a relief to hear that there are people out there who don't offer it. I didn't when I was a childminder, but it was early days in terms of funding. Recently it seemed to me like everyone was ending up offering it. It all sounds too complicated for my little brain and I don't want to offer it when I start up again if I don't have to. Have you had to turn business away at all because you don't offer it?
I tried as long as possible not to offer funding but was aware that 3 children were eligible and even though they had been with me since babies parents wanted their funded hours so I had to ‘give in’ in order to keep the families. I don’t want to have all the hard work of babies and toddlers for them to leave to go elsewhere for funding. I’ll have done all the hard work with walking, speech, discipline, potty training etc for them to leave and then advertise for new babies to start the whole process again.
Ive not had any problems so far, although i was doing picks ups around kids who wanted the 15 hours. I am stopping that though so it does limit who i can take on rather drastically but I just dont fancy the palava of funding but whteher thats sustainable for my business or not we'll see!Quote:
Originally Posted by Maza
thats the problem with not accepting funding you basically only look after babies. They have their good and bad points!Quote:
Originally Posted by BallyH
I don’t do funding never have and don’t think I ever will.i have children 18 months to 4 come in early years age range. I also have schoolies
This is good to know.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonfly