Page 6 | To be annoyed that 30 h free childcare...

ladygindiva · 15/03/2023 14:14

Yes, it's a bit bonkers, my niece is born August and my twins December but they all qualified for the free hours in January, so she was almost 3.5 whereas mine had only just turned 3.

SootspriteSearcher · 15/03/2023 14:15

Allgoodusernamesweretaken · 15/03/2023 11:50

I get it, but with us paying £1400 a month, I find it hard to muster pity for someone filling in a form. Im sorry if this sounds horrible, but it's literally thousands of pounds for the 5 months for thousands of families.

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It's a huge amount of paperwork. Nursery's are underfunded, underpaid and under appreciated. There is barely enough time in the day for basic paperwork let alone having to chase parents monthly. There is a staffing crisis going on in early years with alot of staff leaving. Plus the funding barely covers costs in most cases, by paying out more funding more childcare providers will close down as they cannot run.

Also many nurseries and preschools do termly intakes as its easier to settle children and be able to plan easier for ratios.

Allthesweets · 15/03/2023 14:16

@ShapesAndNumbers

Really? And how do you propose we feed, clothe and keep our children safe and warm?

Tanith · 15/03/2023 14:18

IceandIndigo · 15/03/2023 12:50

I don't know, but I'm guessing that they've done some modelling that shows that labour force participation will rise as a result of funding more childcare for 1-2 year olds, leading to a higher tax revenues, lower benefit payments, and higher economic growth. So the costs are at least partly cancelled out, the money does not have to be taken from somewhere else. That's what many people have been saying for years, not sure why the Tories are only listening now.

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He did all that in just a week or two, did he?

They pulled off this con the last time they extended the scheme from 15 to 30 hours. There was no money then, either. It’s one of the reasons why childcare is in the mess it’s in.

Let me spell it out for the poor, naive souls who still believe in the Government’s promises:

30 hours free childcare does not exist now.

For a start, it isn’t available to everyone. Nor is it available all year round, it’s term-time only.
A lot of settings are obliged to add charges to make up the shortfall, so it isn’t free even to those who can claim it.

What on earth makes you think it’ll be available to 1 and 2 year olds when they won’t fund it adequately for 3 and 4 year olds?

Usernumber74736263 · 15/03/2023 14:19

unfortunate but has to be a cut off point.

my daughter was youngest in her year group so didn’t get any funding until her pre school year.

Ohhmydays · 15/03/2023 14:21

randomsabreuse · 15/03/2023 14:06

Holiday childcare for a 4 year old in reception is the worst to find full stop tbh. Most of the holiday schemes start at 5 or you can have a 2 hour session a day. Unless you already have a childminder you're stuck. Even the expensive providers like King's Camp and Barracudas couldn't take until 5th Birthday.

I didn't realise that Scotland wasn't all the same. My council is from 3rd Birthday but you apply for the council nursery place in the ?March before the year they turn 3 so the allocations are planned on that basis

@randomsabreuse yes i think its stupid. the application processes are the same, need to apply by x march. Don’t know how it works if your child turns 3 between the march and summer though. I would assume they would get their placements first or you apply earlier. I’ll find out in a few years when its the youngest one’s turn lol

TheMagicDeckchair · 15/03/2023 14:22

My twins are April born- so I have 2 sets of extra months to meet! They turn 2 in April.

Under the new funding scheme we should get 15 hours each from April 24 which is better than nothing. I was lucky with my eldest as she was due early Jan but came at the end of Dec, so we received the hours a few days after her birthday.

I don’t understand why they’ve delayed the extra funding for a year if they want parents back in work ASAP?

Original poster

Allgoodusernamesweretaken · 15/03/2023 14:22

SootspriteSearcher · 15/03/2023 14:15

It's a huge amount of paperwork. Nursery's are underfunded, underpaid and under appreciated. There is barely enough time in the day for basic paperwork let alone having to chase parents monthly. There is a staffing crisis going on in early years with alot of staff leaving. Plus the funding barely covers costs in most cases, by paying out more funding more childcare providers will close down as they cannot run.

Also many nurseries and preschools do termly intakes as its easier to settle children and be able to plan easier for ratios.

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I wonder if there is a distinction here between private nurseries (m any of whom a re very lucrartive businesses?) Some of my friends pay whooping £120/140 per DAY, not because they can, but because they have to and barely break even.
There are two sides of the story. It's hard to pay this much and realise the place barely manages to run.

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JudgeJ · 15/03/2023 14:22

Allgoodusernamesweretaken · 15/03/2023 10:19

...starts the whole term AFTER the child hits 3 yo. My son missed the deadline for next term by 5 days, and so we have to wait until September to be able to access the 30 free hours. Parents of a kid born 5 days before will get the 30 free hours in April, May, June, July and August, although they will go to school at the same time...
Just a mnini rant, I thought it was the following month and just realised it,s the whole 5 extra months of massive payments for the nursery.

Your posts reminds me of many years ago, about '70, when the leaving age went up to 16 from 15, a boy in my class was so very angry, he was born on 1st September, 00:02, apparently he told his mother it was all her fault, she should have pushed harder!
Sorry but whenever there's a deadline someone will be on the wrong side of it!

JudgeJ · 15/03/2023 14:24

IceandIndigo · 15/03/2023 10:29

I agree, there's really no reason for childcare funding to be linked to school terms. Someone told me that it dates from the days when children used to start school the term after they turned 5, not sure if that's true.

It was at the start of the term in which they were 5, it may have been different at one stage.

strawberry2017 · 15/03/2023 14:26

I'm not going to lie I'm gutted and so jealous of the people who will get it. When I think about how much we have spent and what else we could have done with the money we have spent. I'm happy for the new mums though. It gives them change to return to work and never have to be financially dependant on a man. X

ilovebrie8 · 15/03/2023 14:26

Tanith · 15/03/2023 14:18

He did all that in just a week or two, did he?

They pulled off this con the last time they extended the scheme from 15 to 30 hours. There was no money then, either. It’s one of the reasons why childcare is in the mess it’s in.

Let me spell it out for the poor, naive souls who still believe in the Government’s promises:

30 hours free childcare does not exist now.

For a start, it isn’t available to everyone. Nor is it available all year round, it’s term-time only.
A lot of settings are obliged to add charges to make up the shortfall, so it isn’t free even to those who can claim it.

What on earth makes you think it’ll be available to 1 and 2 year olds when they won’t fund it adequately for 3 and 4 year olds?

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You are correct @Tanith ....this was being discussed at my gym at lunch time , there won't suddenly be lots of places available as they can't cope as it is in nurseries ...

KnittingNeedles · 15/03/2023 14:27

This has been the system since my eldest was 3 or 4 and he is now 20. His birthday is mid-feb, we had to wait until after Easter for the funded place.

Thisistyresome · 15/03/2023 14:28

It would make sense to make it the month the child turns three.

strawberry2017 · 15/03/2023 14:32

Sorry posted on wrong post original comment!
Meant to say, my youngest is early May and like you would benefit massively but have to wait till September.

WigglyWigglyWiggly · 15/03/2023 14:34

Albiboba · 15/03/2023 13:23

And working parents currently pay 2 lots of tax.

So you’re happy to take from the government when it suits you, but as long as it doesn’t benefit anyone else?

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A million per cent this. People who think that what they get from the government is something they paid for via tax/national insurance but everything they don’t benefit from (that is also paid for by other people’s tax and NI) is something they’re getting for free. This is for working parents, ergo people who are paying bloody tax - why should those people not get anything back?

ChocSaltyBalls · 15/03/2023 14:36

I know they have to have a cut off but it is annoying.

my son’s birthday is early April so the childcare “the term after he turned 3” for nursery meant when the schools went back in August not the summer term, even though his birthday was in the holidays. Annoying

NewNovember · 15/03/2023 14:37

Allgoodusernamesweretaken · 15/03/2023 11:11

It does not matter when Easter is for parents who happen to be on the wrong side of the term though. If you are born 2 days after the term, you will pay 4 + months more than a child born a day before the cutoff, despite finishing the nursery at the same time as them. Kids born early do not graduate form nursery a term before others, they all finish in August ans all start school in Sept, but get extra 4-5 months of 30 free hours.

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It does matter, you can keep your child in nursery until the term after they turn five and benefit from subsidised play based learning rather than school.

Vetrep · 15/03/2023 14:37

So you’re happy to take from the government when it suits you, but as long as it doesn’t benefit anyone else?
Would you mind explaining how I am taking from the Government?? I am still a taxpayer 3 fold as I still have a part time job and have been all my adult life. Never claimed benefits.
Yes, I will take my rise like everyone else will - the rise in the cost of living affects me too - probably more because I have the time to take more holidays😂😂

twoandcooplease · 15/03/2023 14:37

I'm same as you op ds misses the cut off by 6 days. Annoying also as he was 4 weeks premature and if he came on his due date he'd be entitled to more. I only want the place so he can mix with children and learn away from mum. It'll be great for him. My HV is looking into letting him go when he is 2 as he's not yet talking. I really hope we do get accepted then he will only miss from 4-5 then will go to school

luxuryisforme · 15/03/2023 14:39

I feel sorry for young families nowadays as they are really up against it . I had grandparents who provided support for mine and what a difference it made, some people in my team at work are really just working to pay childcare fees

Original poster

Allgoodusernamesweretaken · 15/03/2023 14:39

NewNovember · 15/03/2023 14:37

It does matter, you can keep your child in nursery until the term after they turn five and benefit from subsidised play based learning rather than school.

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Finding a nanny that offer 30 h free childcare is mission impossible, we tried with the older one. So no, it does not matter. And apparently it depends on LA, people in the thread posted that often the scheme ends when kids reach reception. And it's not like you can start reception here in April, you will lose the place if they doint turn up isn September.

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DumpedinKilburn · 15/03/2023 14:40

Allthesweets · 15/03/2023 14:16

@ShapesAndNumbers

Really? And how do you propose we feed, clothe and keep our children safe and warm?

I think every mother should be given a benefit of £15,000 on the birth of the child and on the child's birthday every year until that child is 16-other grants could then come in depending on what the child decides to do at that age.

After all, we are having and rearing children for the good of society-no children, no society

Original poster

Allgoodusernamesweretaken · 15/03/2023 14:41

Vetrep · 15/03/2023 14:37

So you’re happy to take from the government when it suits you, but as long as it doesn’t benefit anyone else?
Would you mind explaining how I am taking from the Government?? I am still a taxpayer 3 fold as I still have a part time job and have been all my adult life. Never claimed benefits.
Yes, I will take my rise like everyone else will - the rise in the cost of living affects me too - probably more because I have the time to take more holidays😂😂

You do realise your retirement pension being paid out depends on younger people paying into it when you get it? You dont just get your own money that you put in. If the funds were not con tin uously funded by new people oming in, they would have collapsed and you'd get sweet f all.

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Vetrep · 15/03/2023 14:48

Yep, and your pension will come to you in exactly the same way. It's called the circle of life