To think this is a slap in the face for working parents

[Dylaninthemovies1]

DS4 attends nursery in Scotland. He is entitled to 1140 hours per year nursery funding. The local council offered 2 options: either full year funding (22 hours per week all year, taking him up until school starting on 12th August ) or term time funding (30 hours per week during term time). We chose 22 hours per week full year, and juggled working hours around this.

This year, up until covid, he has used 200 hours of the funding. Any child on term time has used 300 hours of funding.

His nursery started back last week. We put him back in 2 day per week until he starts school so that we can work, and I can catch up with study (we both work 30 hours per week)

We’ve just recieved a £400 bill for nursery to take us up until DS starts school. The council has cancelled the funding to pay for key worker childcare. So basically my son only recieved 200 hours funding instead of 300 like his nursery cohorts on term time.

Aibu to think this is a slap in the face to have his funding cancelled? We have worked right through lockdown, juggling work, childcare and studying with absolutely no help: and now the funding for his nursery has been cancelled meaning we’re £400 out of pocket. If we knew this in advance we would have bought childcare vouchers to offset the cost, and planned this into our budget.

Oh thanks for updating. Very interesting. So basically council were providing an additional 600 hours (full year or longer days if wished) over and above statutory funding of 600hrs (term time only). Then when Covid lockdown struck they continue the statutory funding element (which nursery saw as they continued to receive funding to lay wages bills etc but you obviously didn’t benefit from As nursery closed) but then used the 600 “additional” resources for the funding of the key worker and vulnerable children care? So brutally speaking “your” money was used for key worker care? Though obviously technically you weren’t actual entitled to that funding it was just as “nice gesture” by the council to give 1140hrs.

The whole process seems so shambolic!! I’m waiting for info in my child’s first venture into nursery. He was due to start Aug full days term time only. No info at all. I know the children that were there before And were doing Term time only full days have now been told they are Getting restricted hours 2 days no choice of pick up drop off time either. Council right next us is offering twice the number hours. The gove done a number of the ELC provision. I can’t even blame councils as they muddling around trying to figure out what they can and can’t do as well. Why is it not a blanket policy either.

Anyway I’m sorry that was their response. Whatever they said the point still stands that they should never have allowed your Child to return to nursery without making sure you were fully aware that it was a paid for role and not covered under funding.

The whole pre school funding is a nightmare and complete lottery on when your child is born, what nursery they are in and what postcode you are as to what funding they get. I personally don’t think it’s fair that we were entitled to 1140 hours per year when others were only entitled to 600 hours. It’s a complete joke