To defend nursery on parents whatsap

[Whenthechipshitthefan]

I can't tell what the right thing to do it.
We have a nursery whatsap (its muted because otherwise it would drive me crazy). Recently one mum has been complaining about how nursery won't let them not pay the consumables charge for free hours when they're on holiday.
They've started looking up the legal rights and got a few other parenta commenting on her side but generally its a one- woman rant.
She has (rightly said) that it's not a cheap nursery. But seems to think its the nursery is putting profit first.
My view its- the nursery pays a really decent wage. It has a really low turnover of staff. They frequently post congratulating staff on their 10year anniversaries. They receive high levels of training.
But also- My daughters love it there. They are cared for, their individual needs taken care of and they have all kinds of extra enrichment activities (e.g. forest school with fires and other activities; interesting visitors giving talks to pre-school etc) all included. Surely everyone is aware that the 'consumables' charge has very little to do with actual consumables and more to do with topping up the gov subsidies that are being called "free hours"
I really want to say something. I know she will try and raise a stink and legally she is right- she doesn't have to pay for consumables and can opt out.
But if everyone did then either the nursery would have to stop being part of the scheme or raise prices more for the non free hours. Or pay staff less. Or lower levels of care.

I would like to say-
We all know that the consumables charge doesn't really relate to consumables but tops up the pittance
they get from the government under the false name "free hours" which allows staff to be paid a decent wage and higher than usual levels of training, (reflected in the low turnover) children to have extra- enrichment activities and the nursery to not charge more for non-"free" hours. I think we need to look at the bigger picture else fees will need to rise even more, or they will end up opting out of the "free hours" programme.

Should I just keep my mouth shut?

Eventually there will be a watershed moment. It isn’t sustainable with the funded hours being so underfunded by the government whilst costs of everything rise. Nurseries will increase the top ups, more and more people will want to access the funded hours after making decisions to get pregnant now due to knowing they will get funded hours in a couple of years. So you’ll have more and more people arguing with nurses over the illegal and fraudulent mandatory consumables charge. It’ll all come tumbling down at some point, and nurseries will start getting into trouble after enough complaints. Or they’ll stop offering funded hours as soon as it looks like these mandatory charges will actually be investigated. The government just don’t really give a shit at the moment, so won’t bother investigating, especially as any public enquiry into this would highlight how underfunded these “funded” places are. The government don’t want that.

But it is still illegal for the nurses to force parents to pay these charges.

I wouldn't get involved in WhatsApp but if you think her posts are crossing a line you might want to consider showing them to the nursery manager so they can deal with her individually.
Some parents had been posting quite nasty stuff about some of the teachers and school policies at my DDs school and this is what happened.
It's not right that parents can complain like that and the nursery/school can't defend themselves.

Tread carefully. Her child may end up at the same school as yours and people can hold grudges.

Also, are you sure they only get £3.50 an hour? Ours get much more than that here - pretty much the same as they charge for a regular hour, depending on age. But some around here charge a fee on top regardless.

"of course you can opt out of the consumables when you aren’t there but nursery can also opt out of the funded hours except for those on lower incomes. I think the consumable free and keeping free hours is preferable but you do you"

That, without the snidey ending, is good.

Actually, that's better

Petrol vs this (what the OP posted) is very different:

Surely everyone is aware that the 'consumables' charge has very little to do with actual consumables and more to do with topping up the gov subsidies that are being called "free hours"

I would use entitled to a woman or man if they were being entitled. Don't make an issue where there isn't one. 😌

If as said she doesn't have to pay then that's her choice, maybe remind her of this, but it sounds like she's trying to drum up other parents into supporting her in the hope that one of them may be the first to stop paying, that way she won't look like the instigator herself.