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Original poster

Is Liz Truss going to scrap free childcare?!

143 replies

ShrimpingViolet · 06/10/2022 20:00

This story is worrying:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/oct/06/revealed-rightwing-slash-and-burn-ideas-that-could-be-blueprint-for-truss?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I have no idea how we'd cope as a family if this happened, coupled with everything else that's going on at the moment with the cost of living.

I hope to god other MPs speak up about this so it can be stopped. Is it worth writing to local MPs to ask for assurances?

OP posts:
makingmammariessince1977 · 07/10/2022 22:40

Iamsodonewith2020 · 07/10/2022 22:27

Really sorry and prepared to get flamed but as a childcare practitioner I see far too may children who cannot cope with full time since the introduction of the 30 hours free childcare. We have children ,whose primary caregiver works only 15 hoursOR LESS, in our childcare setting for 30 hours plus because it is funded so why not use it. If parents struggle with full time working why do they think full time childcare is ok. I know people think it is “just playing” therefore fun for the child but it is the equivalent of working full time for a young, developing child. I think if it was only funded for 15 hours still then more serious conversations would be had about the needs of the child/ versus needs/wants of the family. IMO 30 hours funding should only apply to parents where BOTH/ SINGLE parent work 25-30 hours during the core hours. We have a high earning parent at my nursery who only works 8-2pm 2 days a week yet they qualify for 9-3 childcare 5 days a week so use it!!! This is not what it should be use for. Plus it should be meNs tested IMO.

Brave, and I absolutely agree 👍

Babyroobs · 07/10/2022 22:42

Iamsodonewith2020 · 07/10/2022 22:27

Really sorry and prepared to get flamed but as a childcare practitioner I see far too may children who cannot cope with full time since the introduction of the 30 hours free childcare. We have children ,whose primary caregiver works only 15 hoursOR LESS, in our childcare setting for 30 hours plus because it is funded so why not use it. If parents struggle with full time working why do they think full time childcare is ok. I know people think it is “just playing” therefore fun for the child but it is the equivalent of working full time for a young, developing child. I think if it was only funded for 15 hours still then more serious conversations would be had about the needs of the child/ versus needs/wants of the family. IMO 30 hours funding should only apply to parents where BOTH/ SINGLE parent work 25-30 hours during the core hours. We have a high earning parent at my nursery who only works 8-2pm 2 days a week yet they qualify for 9-3 childcare 5 days a week so use it!!! This is not what it should be use for. Plus it should be meNs tested IMO.

Agree. Why on earth is 30 hours funded if people can just work 16? Even accounting for travel time doesn't mean they need double hours.

TheHateIsNotGood · 07/10/2022 22:43

So some group called the Free Market Forum that the Guardian avers thatTruss and Kwarteng have "close links to" comes out with a bunch of suggestions and by a great leap of ? this is now considered to be the next Childcare Policy?

Maybe just by people who only read The Guardian and rely on SM for their 'news'.

I've little doubt that Wee Trussy has plans to overhaul Childcare as it sorely needs it but I'd rather wait until she actually states something about it than speculate and get unecessarily concerned about something that hasn't even been put forward by Govt yet.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Childcare & nursery Families
shedwithivy · 07/10/2022 22:49

justasking111 · 07/10/2022 22:08

Fiscally it doesn't make sense. Throwing women onto the scrap heap will cost so much more than it could ever save.

Yep...

And they are already bemoaning the retention of staff in many professions including GPs, vets, carers, midwives, nurses, teachers etc...

pricing millions of workers (mainly mothers) out of the workforce, especially at a stage in their career where they are fully qualified, effective and equipped to mentor new graduates is incredibly shortsighted and goes far further than saving a bit of money.

From someone who is obsessed with productivity, it shows that she really believes that city bankers are the only workers that contribute.

justasking111 · 07/10/2022 22:54

Babyroobs · 07/10/2022 22:42

Agree. Why on earth is 30 hours funded if people can just work 16? Even accounting for travel time doesn't mean they need double hours.

Show quote history

Any system will be abused by some unfortunately.

shedwithivy · 07/10/2022 22:56

The 30 free hours is term time only, so for all year round children this is 22 hours a week. It only goes as far as a part time job, you pay top up fees for snacks etc, and if you have two kids you may also be paying £80/day in baby room for example.

twotoedsloth · 07/10/2022 22:57

PrincessButtercupToo · 07/10/2022 20:50

Only if you’re on more than about £40,000.

If you are on less than this then you’re unlikely to be a net contributor.

I’d be very happy to see the childcare subsidy reduced if it let the top rate of tax be lowered.

Show quote history

This is so short sighted. Those in higher tax bands are massively benefitting from essential jobs being done by people on low wages. They might not be paying as much tax, but they have contributed cheap labour which enable businesses to make a profit and essential services and products to be available at an affordable price. You can't say they aren't a net contributor.

Justgivemewine · 07/10/2022 22:59

Thisismynamenow · 07/10/2022 22:38

Your unreasonable, I'd love to give up work to care for my child, but I need to pay my (increasing) mortgage. Most parents would cut the work in a heartbeat to spend it with their babies, but can't because they have to work. Means testing or cutting free childcare would send millions of households into even more poverty.
Also perhaps parents are finishing work at 2 and cleaning and doing chores the rest of the time so they can spend time with their babies after picking them up, where as most people will pick the child up then reluctantly dump them infront of the TV whilst they complete their chores.

Show quote history

Not unreasonable at all.

the parent above doesn’t need to “cut the work in a heartbeat” she only works 2 days a week but still puts the child in childcare 5 days a week because, you know, it’s free, so why not.

AdoraBell · 07/10/2022 23:01

She’ll probably scrap it for families earning less than 150K, based on her saying it was right to cut the tax rate the rich.

SecondhandTable · 07/10/2022 23:02

Babyroobs · 07/10/2022 22:42

Agree. Why on earth is 30 hours funded if people can just work 16? Even accounting for travel time doesn't mean they need double hours.

Show quote history

I work two jobs, but in one job I work 15hrs over 2 days a week, 8-4. I have to leave the house around 7am and get home around 5pm on those days, then is about another 15 min walk to nursery. My husband works ostensibly 9-5 those days, he would need to leave for work at 8.30 and he always has to stay late and so gets home/or to nursery just before 6pm. My two kids are in nursery those days and nursery is open 8-6. 30hrs childcare is term time only, neither of us are term time only workers, so it's not 30hrs a week for us, it's basically 22, so nowhere near 'double the hours'. Those two days are 20hrs of 'free' childcare for our eldest - although we still have to pay £12 a day for those days top-up for consumables', so it's not actually free but £24 a week. Even though I only work 15hrs on those days, we absolutely need the 30hrs free childcare to cover just those two days - well, 28hrs if you want to be pedantic. As that's only 20hrs anyway year-round, and many many people have an hour either side of work for travel. My husband does drop off and I do collection - although he could just about do both, but would still need the same amount of childcare hours anyway.

Ilkleymoor · 07/10/2022 23:05

Join the march of the mummies with pregnant then screwed and write to your mp to tell them that childcare is a major issue for you. The more we raise it as an issue, the more seriously they will take it.

Abcdefgh1234 · 07/10/2022 23:09

I’m high earner and i really not agree with scraping chidcare cost. Its crazy. How people should go to work then?. I’m happily paying my tax for childcare. This woman its crazy 😳😳

FridayTheThirteeth · 07/10/2022 23:11

I guess looking after your own children might be an option rather than the state paying or heavily subsidising childcare so mum/dad can work.

FridayTheThirteeth · 07/10/2022 23:13

Why pay for 30 hours childcare when parent works less hours - perhaps change so only pay for childcare whilst parent works. Or work more hours if children are in paid childcare?

shedwithivy · 07/10/2022 23:16

FridayTheThirteeth · 07/10/2022 23:11

I guess looking after your own children might be an option rather than the state paying or heavily subsidising childcare so mum/dad can work.

So a woman who has two children with a 3 year age gap needs to take 7 years away from her meaningful (possibly part time) job, to stay at home baking and finger painting, while the rest of society struggles with a lack of people to do essential jobs? (Then all those saved taxes can be spent on extortionate locums and agency workers in the public sector instead?)

onmywayamarillo · 07/10/2022 23:18

GORDON come back please! It's all gone bat shit in Windy City

justasking111 · 07/10/2022 23:23

My friend and I worked evenings when our husbands got home we went to work. There was only one nursery in the area then and way beyond our pay packets. The days were long and tiring.

verdantverdure · 07/10/2022 23:34

Is this from the Christian Right in America? I know Conservative MPs have links. I think Steve Baker is the most well known.

If it is they'll be boosting the school performance of white boys next because of anyone female or brown is doing better than a white boy it's a sign of something wrong in their eyes.

How2Support · 07/10/2022 23:38

No way they will scrap free hours. As others have said - they can't risk a drop in female participation in work weihn they need to grow more pie (eye roll). More likely to cut regulation that makes it expensive in the first place - higher ratio of children to staff; unqualified staff; minimal/no standards for the building.

verdantverdure · 07/10/2022 23:41

They don't actually want growth.

It's just their excuse for all the things they want to do.

SomeSquirrelsAreBlack · 07/10/2022 23:42

Isnt this what you people voted for?

justasking111 · 07/10/2022 23:43

SomeSquirrelsAreBlack · 07/10/2022 23:42

Isnt this what you people voted for?

Who are you people?

SecondhandTable · 07/10/2022 23:44

FridayTheThirteeth · 07/10/2022 23:13

Why pay for 30 hours childcare when parent works less hours - perhaps change so only pay for childcare whilst parent works. Or work more hours if children are in paid childcare?

Read my below post...it's not 30hrs, it's actually only 22, and plenty of people don't use their full entitlement. I work 15hrs over 2 days and those 2 days of 'free' childcare from the '30hrs' childcare is actually only 20 hours and costs £12 a day. My work day is approx 1hr travel + 7.5 hrs of paid work + 30 mins unpaid lunch break + approx 1hr travel home. That's 10 hours. Which is the same amount of hours my children are in nursery for.

SomeSquirrelsAreBlack · 07/10/2022 23:46

Brexiters

justasking111 · 07/10/2022 23:50

SomeSquirrelsAreBlack · 07/10/2022 23:46

Brexiters

Ah okay