General Election 2015

[Maza]

What a nightmare SW307 would be to employers.....it was very difficult to always accomodate parents on flexible working hours, let alone grandparents too!
Nice idea, but in reality the country cannot run ( especially public servants) on everybody working only 3 days a week.

I like the word 'request'. They can request the hours but presumably employers are not obliged to grant flexible working hours. I think they also said that they were going to 'tax the 'rich' 60 percent'. Mmmm, brain drain invitation.

[bunyip]

I think the Green Party can promise the earth (excuse the pun) because they're never going to have to deliver on their promises

Anybody remember how the Lib-Demorons were going to change the face of politics? ..............and all we got was the ConDemNation.

Anybody still "agree with Nick." ???

[Simona]

More support with childcare – The Labour Party

This gives details of the labour pledge on childcare.

I wonder where places would come from for each 3 & 4 year old to get 25 hours a week funding. Many nurseries offer 3 hour sessions 5 days a week - one lot of children in the morning, another lot in the afternoon. Would they be expected to offer 5 hour sessions, 5 days a week? They couldn't do that for 2 lots of children unless they offered sessions 8am-1pm and 1pm-6pm. I can't see them wanting to do that!!

And the primary childcare guarantee looks interesting - but the primary school heads will love being responsible for arranging wrap around childcare for every parents that wants it!

I would like to find out more about the National Primary Childcare Service formally announced yesterday...apparently it is going to be run by volunteers?

[Mouse]

I would like to find out more about the National Primary Childcare Service formally announced yesterday...apparently it is going to be run by volunteers?

I've seen two reports. One says it will be run by volunteers, the other says it will be a not for profit organisation, not the same thing as being run by volunteers. It'll be interesting to see if any more details emerge.

[Simona]

I've seen two reports. One says it will be run by volunteers, the other says it will be a not for profit organisation, not the same thing as being run by volunteers. It'll be interesting to see if any more details emerge.

I have ploughed through the Labour Manifesto but cannot find anything there on this initiative
This article is the best I could find...it mentions both volunteers and not for profit as well as providers delivering this wrap around care.

Somehow it links to the answer I got from Tessa Jowell when I put childcare as a question to her very recently...she talked about 'co-operatives'.

Labour offers parents 'guarantee' of wraparound childcare | Nursery World

The other question was whether the 25 hrs also covers providers' cost 'in full' or at the current level?...the latter would be a bit hard to sustain.

[Simona]

I have just got this...Tories will extend free childcare to 30 hours in response to the Labour 25 hrs offer...it is getting to desperation point now...I think
Here is the PLA's response

https://www.pre-school.org.uk/media/...hildcare-offer

Whatever next?

[Mouse]

I have just got this...Tories will extend free childcare to 30 hours in response to the Labour 25 hrs offer...it is getting to desperation point now...I think
Here is the PLA's response

https://www.pre-school.org.uk/media/...hildcare-offer

Whatever next?

On a practical level, 30 hours childcare is easier to provide than 25 hours - 6 hours, 5 days a week is workable for most childcare providers, apart from maybe playgroups that currently only offer one 3hr session a day. I'd have thought 30 hours was preferable to trying to fit in 25 hours.

But what neither party has seemed to do is ask the providers - the very people who will have to deliver these promises - if they're going to be able, or if they're willing, to do it!

In a way it would be great for me. We don't have enough childcare spaces in my LA for 3 & 4 year olds wanting their 15 hours childcare. If they're all to be given 30 hours it's in effect going to half the number of places available, so increase the number of parents looking to place their children. I'd happily take on just 3 & 4 year olds, term time only, for a guaranteed 6 hours a day...IF...and it's a very big if...the LA was to pay me a decent amount to do it. If they stick at the current level of funding I will stick at my current level of only providing 3 hours a day funding.

We (the childcare sector) could use this to our advantage - refuse to increase the number of hours we offer unless the LAs increase the amount they pay

[Simona]

On a practical level, 30 hours childcare is easier to provide than 25 hours - 6 hours, 5 days a week is workable for most childcare providers, apart from maybe playgroups that currently only offer one 3hr session a day. I'd have thought 30 hours was preferable to trying to fit in 25 hours.

But what neither party has seemed to do is ask the providers - the very people who will have to deliver these promises - if they're going to be able, or if they're willing, to do it!

In a way it would be great for me. We don't have enough childcare spaces in my LA for 3 & 4 year olds wanting their 15 hours childcare. If they're all to be given 30 hours it's in effect going to half the number of places available, so increase the number of parents looking to place their children. I'd happily take on just 3 & 4 year olds, term time only, for a guaranteed 6 hours a day...IF...and it's a very big if...the LA was to pay me a decent amount to do it. If they stick at the current level of funding I will stick at my current level of only providing 3 hours a day funding.

We (the childcare sector) could use this to our advantage - refuse to increase the number of hours we offer unless the LAs increase the amount they pay

Hold on ....we seem to have a promise of consultation from the Tories
Here is the tweet to the PLA


Pre-school Learning @Pre_schoolLA · 26m 26 minutes ago
Conservative HQ have informed us that they will be consulting on an increase in regional EY funding rates #EYAgenda

I agree that providing 25 or 30 hrs would be easier but not at the current level of funding where the level is too low to sustain our businesses.
And I agree even more it is up to us to call their bluff....fund properly or we withdraw!

It has taken childcare to kick this boring election into touch!

[Mouse]

Hold on ....we seem to have a promise of consultation from the Tories
Here is the tweet to the PLA


Pre-school Learning @Pre_schoolLA · 26m 26 minutes ago
Conservative HQ have informed us that they will be consulting on an increase in regional EY funding rates #EYAgenda

I won't hold my breath waiting for it to happen (only for it then to be ignored ), but it does seem to indicate that they know their promise of 30 hours won't work unless they have the backing of the childcare sector...and the only way to guarantee that is to pay us more!

[Simona]

I won't hold my breath waiting for it to happen (only for it then to be ignored ), but it does seem to indicate that they know their promise of 30 hours won't work unless they have the backing of the childcare sector...and the only way to guarantee that is to pay us more!

Hot off the press

Conservatives pledge to double free childcare hours | Nursery World

[Jayse74]

A Conservative Government would start building capacity in the sector from 2017

Agencies coming into their own maybe?

including making capital funding available for new nursery provision in schools.

Looks like we could be sold down the river again!

[Simona]

Agencies coming into their own maybe?



Looks like we could be sold down the river again!

Indeed ...and swimming against the tide!

[Mouse]

Oh my word...

This is taken from the UKIP manifesto:

However, we will amend the voucher scheme in order to address the
shortage of places and cut the cost to both parents and the state, by
de-regulating childcare provision.
At the moment, if parents want to claim their free childcare
entitlement, they must place their child with an Ofsted-registered
childminder. UKIP will remove this requirement and allow parents
to use any third-party, non-related child carer they feel comfortable
placing their child with, provided the care provided can be proven
to be genuine. This is intended to encourage experienced parents
whose own children have grown up, for instance, or who would like to
combine looking after other people’s children alongside their own, to
offer childcare. Our plans will also make it cost-effective for parents to
hire a nanny if they have more than one young child, or enable parents
to club together to hire a nanny.


Well, there's another winning idea...NOT!!

[Mouse]

And Lib Dem's offering:

Childcare

Free childcare is obviously the way forward for all parties.

Whatever happened to the days when parents had children, took responsibility for them and paid for their own childcare? How have we got to the stage where free childcare is expected by everyone?

[smurfette]

And Lib Dem's offering: Childcare Free childcare is obviously the way forward for all parties. Whatever happened to the days when parents had children, took responsibility for them and paid for their own childcare? How have we got to the stage where free childcare is expected by everyone?

I find this all fascinating as we have no help for Childcare here in Ireland and chilcare is largely unregulated !

[bunyip]

And Lib Dem's offering:

Childcare

Free childcare is obviously the way forward for all parties.

Whatever happened to the days when parents had children, took responsibility for them and paid for their own childcare? How have we got to the stage where free childcare is expected by everyone?

My mum made a lot of sacrifices just to bring us up. I think the parents of most children I knew through school did the same. It was almost a point of pride as to how they'd "gone without" to raise a family.

Now all I hear is parents who want a nice house, multiple "good holidays", etc. etc. - of course this is always "for the children", never mind the fact that mum and dad are on the beach too. Then they need nights out just to cope with the stress of being obliged to raise their own offspring. I'm not too sure where the new car, new 'phone, new hairdo, etc. come into it, though I'm pretty sure they're only doing that for the children too.

Then they all want free/low cost childcare whilst they enjoy all the above luxuries, which I'm sure they consider to be necessities.

[HandD]

I'm worried this policy will put me out of work caring for school children before and after school. Do you think schools will have to provide childcare on their premises or just be able to direct parents to childminders and other after school clubs?

[natlou82]

It looks like they will need support from sports leaders etc to run clubs at no cost to parents in school. My Junior School already has this concept in place (my son attended for a while however but didn't rate it!). A lot of parents do use this as free childcare. Although I'm starting to get enquiries as the children are getting too exhausted doing extra sports each night until 5:30 and others who would prefer their children to have a meal before they collect. It will depend on what the schools are offering as wraparound and what we can do to compete.

[Simona]

Many schools already operate 8-6pm but, that I know, only during Term Time.
What happens during the holidays?

The worrying thing about the increase in hours...be 20, 25 or 30...is how some providers will be able to accommodate those hours?
many preschools operate from community halls with multiple use, they will not be able to rent the additional hours.
What about schools...will they be able to increase their hours if Reception children are included as they are now?

It does not look to me as if any political party has actually thought of the consequences and practicalities...unless they all want children in day nurseries and do away with parental choice?

In addition, many Cms only work part time...those who for instance operate 3 days a week for 30 hours will be basically working for nothing...many at a loss where the funding is below their fees?

[FloraDora]

Lib dems have been working with MENCAP to produce this Easy to read manifesto : I wonder if the others will be doing the same - nice and straightforward text.


https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.ne...pdf?1429028136