Private nursery raising funds for themselves

[Onwallstreet]

What do we think about this?

It's a private nursery in a small village. Parents have just got a message saying could anyone donate raffle prizes ( and then buy tickets) for a winter raffle to raise funds for 'books and educational resources '

It's a business. It's not a charity or community group. It's owned by a family with some members as employees.
Parents pay for children to go there or claim the statutory free hours.

I appreciate that nurseries are having a tough time financially and I would feel different if it was a community venture. But it's a business, they should be self sufficient shouldn't they?

If I'm buying tickets that means more profit for the owners.

If you feel that way just don't donate prizes or buy tickets, it's not compulsory.

I dont really have a problem with it.

I would expect books and resources to be inclusive of the huge fees I was paying.

Given that many nurseries are struggling because the amount they get for the funded hours for children isn’t enough to cover costs I wouldn’t object to helping with a few raffle tickets

My dd’s nursery does this. We don’t go. I agree entirely with you.

Good for them!
The “free” hours the Government provides runs at a MASSIVE loss/ underpayment to private nurseries.

Aren't most nurseries businesses?

It's just fund raising, unless it's compulsory I won't have a problem with it, good nursery care is very costly to provide. As long as the proceeds go fully to the nursery I think it's fine.

As Sirzy says thé funded hours probably don’t cover their running costs. Unless you think the oweners are raking it in at the expense of the nursery it might be better to support them. The alternative is likely to be not accepting funded hours or possibly shutt8ng down completely.

Lots of nurseries are schools, charity or community run so non-profit @Knittedfairies

I think you're right OP, they shouldn't be fundraising. Maybe suggest that they up their fees to cover resources?

More profit or less of a loss?

Given how many nurseries are closing, I wouldn't automatically assume they are making a profit.

The alternative is probably a rise in fees.

There’s the not strictly above board top up charges alternative as well tbf.

Sounds like the fees just pay the bare mim for staff and equipment. The money raised is extras for your child and everyone else’s. I’m sure the owner would be happy to explain where the short fall is and why fundraising is important.

I would donate or buy raffle tickets if it was my kids’ nursery, just on the basis that if they’re struggling to buy resources I want my kids to have them and would rather not have a permanent rise in fees.

I don’t think anyone goes into childcare for big bucks.

Thanks @MrsBricks

Hmm, I pay full-time nursery fees (no funded hours until she's 3) and couldn't get worked up about this. The funded hours put a massive strain on nurseries and if it was a couple of fundraisers a year vs a permanent hike in fees, I know which I'd choose.

DD's nursery had a fundraising day today, although for something different, they're always great fun for the children and something different from the normal routine.

I have worked in nurseries for years. And been at the top management end.
Every place I have been to the nurseries just about get by. The cost of the amount of staff to child ratio is huge. The cost of the new funding is shutting down nurseries. These people are not fund raising for fun. They desperately need the money. Most if these things go on new toys or things that need fixing. Support ur nursery and buy some raffle tickets. It costs you not much just to buy a damn ticket.

Completely agree OP. I refused to contribute to our nursery fundraising for equipment. I pay huge amounts of fees, and they are a business not a charity.

www.cypnow.co.uk/News/article/free-childcare-offer-will-lead-to-more-nursery-closures-finds-research

Don’t donate if you don’t want. But don’t be surprised if they can’t replace broken toys, or they increase fees or even worse have to shut down.

The nursery only gets £4 per hour per child from the Government for the funded place. The Government doesn't pay the nursery the full hourly rate that you pay. They won't have as much money to spend on things like that anymore.

If you don't approve don't donate or buy tickets, it's not compulsory!

Wow. I was on the pta of my DD’s private school for 15 years. We did loads if find raising stuff.

What a bizarre attitude.

Kids local privately run nursery always had to raise funds to.cover rising cost and they also applied for grants etc. They did loads with.the kids and families supported them.
What's wrong with that?
Btw fees weren't extortionate.
Nowasays so called 'free hours' actually cost nurseries money as they rarely get paid their normal.hourly rate by local councils who use the money for other things. There is no law says that the money they get from gov for childcare has to.be used for childcare. They can.do.what they want with it and only pay a token amount to childcare providers.

If nurseries are to.continue they will.probably have to do more fundraising just to get by.

You chose what's more important. Give a small donation to.a raffle or similar and keep good childcare with good staff and resources or let nurseries close.

I don't think the nursery was opened out of the goodness of their hearts.
If it was a state school or a community run place I'd have no issue at all. I expect places like that to have a PTA etc

But it does bother me at the nursery. I can't see much difference between it and the high street shops going under because they aren't making enough profit.

However I can see I'm in the minority. Thanks to all for chipping in. It's obviously more common to keep a business afloat than I imagined.

So you want your children’s nursery to go under?

So I assume you will be happy to pay much higher fees then? Or for them not to be able to offer the same range of toys and activities?