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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you do nursery holiday childcare

81 replies

Peppapigforlife · 08/05/2022 09:04

Sorry if this has come up many times before, I'm just trying to figure it out for myself.

So if you get 30 hours free childcare, it's only for the term time weeks and you have to be working 16 hours a week for it.
My DD will be entitled to it from September and I'll be looking for part time work before then.
But I've just realised I won't be able to earn in the holidays. If I can't earn in the holidays does that mean I won't be entitled to the 30 hours a week, as on the gov website it states that you have to earn 16 times minimum wage per week. The childcare around here all closes in the holidays.

Just wondering what people do and trying to figure out what best to do?

OP posts:
Original poster
Peppapigforlife · 08/05/2022 14:23

OfstedOffred · 08/05/2022 13:35

Aha

Another thread where there's a misunderstanding of what the 15/30hrs is intended to provide.

It is not intended to be childcare focussed on facilitating parents to work.

Its early years education for the child, which is why it's based on term time and only 30h (roughly 9-3 daily), as this is the amount of education its optimal for the child to receive.

The principle being that working parents who need full time childcare covering full working hours either pay for this or if on a low income, can help with the cost via UC.

Also OP, be prepared, the government underfunds those hours. Most nurseries and providers will have additional costs in the form of resources fees, lunch charges etc or will limit the hours they offer funded, so you may need to budget to top up the cost to get the childcare you need to work, it's almost never totally free.

Yes I am aware of this. My daughter's childcare don't ask for a top up but as the funding has just been slashed they are going to start asking for donations of resources when they run out, like glue sticks and sand etc. Luckily they don't have set hours for funded children but her last nursery did.

OP posts:
Original poster
Peppapigforlife · 08/05/2022 14:58

OfstedOffred · 08/05/2022 13:35

Aha

Another thread where there's a misunderstanding of what the 15/30hrs is intended to provide.

It is not intended to be childcare focussed on facilitating parents to work.

Its early years education for the child, which is why it's based on term time and only 30h (roughly 9-3 daily), as this is the amount of education its optimal for the child to receive.

The principle being that working parents who need full time childcare covering full working hours either pay for this or if on a low income, can help with the cost via UC.

Also OP, be prepared, the government underfunds those hours. Most nurseries and providers will have additional costs in the form of resources fees, lunch charges etc or will limit the hours they offer funded, so you may need to budget to top up the cost to get the childcare you need to work, it's almost never totally free.

İf 30 free hours childcare is intended for the child, why do you need to be in work to receive it for them?
And why was it introduced around the same time they lowered the age the child had to be, for the parent to go back to work?

OP posts:
BaaMoon · 08/05/2022 15:00

İf 30 free hours childcare is intended for the child, why do you need to be in work to receive it for them? because there has to be some benefit to working. Even if that benefit is for your child.

Original poster
Peppapigforlife · 08/05/2022 15:08

BaaMoon · 08/05/2022 15:00

İf 30 free hours childcare is intended for the child, why do you need to be in work to receive it for them? because there has to be some benefit to working. Even if that benefit is for your child.

My point is that it doesn't really matter what the intention behind it is- you need a child in childcare to be able to work, hence why I am asking about those funded hours!

OP posts:
BaaMoon · 08/05/2022 15:10

Peppapigforlife · 08/05/2022 15:08

My point is that it doesn't really matter what the intention behind it is- you need a child in childcare to be able to work, hence why I am asking about those funded hours!

Show quote history

Ah yes. I agree.

Original poster
Peppapigforlife · 08/05/2022 17:30

Coasterfan · 08/05/2022 13:22

Apologies if someone else has said this but I noticed you said you were going to do some of the work at home from the £10 a day thread? A lot of this work can be done any time including evenings when the kids are in bed so you would still be able to do it in the holidays as well. I highly recommend that thread also, I paid my daughters school fees for a year doing it (£1100 a month) just doing 20 hours a week in the evenings on top of my day job.

That's really encouraging to hear and well done you. Thank you!

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