I find this so annoying and will probably get crap for writing this but...m

[starodyssey2015]

Why is it that it's only over 2 year olds that get 15 hours free childcare a week. I am now a working mother with an 18 month old baby and I don't get this. Whilst people without a job get it!

My friend has a 2 year old and gets 15 hours free nursery a week. She doesn't work. So for four days a week she drops him off at nursery then goes and spends her benefit money going for a Costa and going shopping! Whilst muggings over here is scrimping and scraping so my child can go to nursery so I can work! I can barely afford a Costa! That's with both mine and my boyfriends wage!

I know I'm being childish but I find this totally unfair!

[Nolim]

I could be wrong but my understanding is that the 15 hours are for education, not childcare, and education is more critical when the children are a little bit older (2-3 yo)

But i am prepared to hear otherwise. The main problem is lack of dupport for working parents imo.

[starodyssey2015]

He's in a nursery for 15 hours a week. Not sure if it's for education or whatever but it's annoying when I'm forking out hundreds a month and I work!

I sound very bitter don't I? I just think it's totally wrong

[ErinBlockerBitch]

It's for education to mimimise the gap between children who don't get any access to clubs/nursery/groups and the others. very rare these days to find a child who has only been at home prior to starting school.

[PotteringAlong]

Not every 2 year old gets 15 free hours. It's only a universal benefit over the age of 3.

[ErinBlockerBitch]

And you will get 15 hours free when your child is older.

[DarylDixonsDarlin]

Don't you qualify for any help towards childcare, from tax credits?

In the long run, you and your family will probably benefit more from continuing to work, swings and roundabouts innit.

[Nolim]

Op i get your rage. Working is a luxury that not every one can afford and that is not right. In an ideal world any parent who decides to work should get free or at least affordable childcare.

I am not holding my breath on that one though.

[Laquila]

But the age is sort of irrelevant, as unless I've misunderstood, the friend in your example wasn't getting those free 15 hours when she had an 18-month old, was she?

It sounds as though what you're really annoyed about is the fact that your friend gets any free hours at all?

[starodyssey2015]

I'm just annoyed really that I'm paying for childcare that I need in order to work. Yet she's going off galivanting whilst my tax pays for hers.

It's not her fault, i'm sure if I was in the same situation I would be doing similar. But I HAVE to work. And I feel I'm getting punished. The government should sort out the cost of childcare and help those who are working. I know it's a pointless rant. I'm just annoyed because I forked out 300 today for 2 days a week.

[MistletoeBUTNOwine]

Why do you think that an adult who chooses to work gets free childcare, Nolim?

Have a kid... Let someone else bring it up for free...
Makes sense, no?

[Nolim]

Working helps the economy, and many parent who would like to work cannot afford childcare.
Did i miss something? Are you worried about population growth?

[BakewellSlice]

It's for the development and education of the next generation. It's for the child not the parent.

[ArcheryAnnie]

If it's such a cushy life gallivanting out shopping and going to costa on benefits, why don't you do it, then?

I understand why you are anxious about childcare costs. I had to go back to work when my son was only three months old, as maternity leave was a lot shorter then, and I would have been so grateful for any free childcare from 2 (which certainly wasn't available then). But the issue is the age of the child, not whether you are working. Your friend's child got free childcare at 2. Yours will too. There isn't anything unfair in this.

[Pico2]

Vote Lib Dem then - they are planning to bridge that gap, in contrast to Labour and Tory plans to increase the provision from 2 or 3.

[starodyssey2015]

Because I can't get the benefits she can, because me and my partner live together (so does hers but she hasn't told the benefits office)

I can't afford not to work. It is unfair that she gets this cushy life for nothing and people like me have to work. Basically because I've stayed with the father of my child. Infuriating.

[starodyssey2015]

In fact she's just sent me a picture of her at a restaurant with her LB. She's got a jug of majito and he's got a juice waiting for their burgers to arrive.

I'm sat getting frozen food out of the freezer from 2 weeks ago for lunch. We can't afford to go out.

[DarylDixonsDarlin]

Grass is always greener I bet her life has at least as many downsides as yours, she just faces different issues. If you have genuine proof of her fraud you would have reported it by now since you feel so hard done by, I'm sure.

[TheCowThatLaughs]

the free nursery care for over 2s is intended for children who are disadvantaged because they're being brought up in poverty isn't it? Is that what you want for your child?
If your friend is committing benefit fraud that's a different, separate, matter
If you're so jealous why don't you get rid of your partner, stop work, and you too can go and have "a costa"

[SuburbanRhonda]

In answer to your question upthread, yes, you do sound bitter.

Some people have it easier than others - it's hardly headline news, is it?

[thisismypassword]

I am totally on your side OP. The idea behind it however has been mentioned but it implies that people on benefits aren't able to give their child a good start at home themselves, which is patronising. So really, it SHOULD be about getting parents into work. I would love these free 2 year old hours as a part timer. But I'm not eligible and I am bitter, because as you described I'm having to pay for childcare for 2 days whilst I'm back in the workforce and people who don't work who have this are going back home and putting their feet up. Hardly seems fair! It in reality should be for people in work, not as a babysitter so sahms can have a nice rest!

[thisismypassword]

ArcheryAnnie -- no... every child is entitled to 15 free hours from the first term after their 3rd birthday actually.

[thisismypassword]

ErinBlockerBitch --- there are plenty of playgroups all week that cost from 50p to £1.50. There's not really any excuse not to take your little one out in order to socialise unless you have a medical/social condition (which is a whole other conversation).

[TheCowThatLaughs]

It's for the child's benefit though, not the parent's

[SuburbanRhonda]

I wonder what your "friend" would say if she could read what you've written about her on here. Some friend you are.

[DownWithThisTypeOfThing]

You do sound bitter and the "spending her benefits in Costa" line is so cliched that I suspect you might be on a wind up.

But on the assumption you're genuine, it might help to think about the long term. I struggled to pay childcare and work. Sometimes I barely broke even and I had plenty of "but it's not faaaaaaairrrr" moments. But some years on I can see how much keeping my foot in the door benefitted me. I've been able to maintain a career and now my children are a bit older my career has gone from strength to strength. That absolutely wouldn't have happened if I'd not worked. You think your friend is holding the aces now, but that's not a long term picture. The fees you're struggling to pay now are an investment.