that the government is doing a u-turn on free childcare for 2 year olds?

[JustAnotherMum2b]

I'm glad to hear on the news that the Government have come come to their senses and won't be abolishing childcare vouchers for basic rate tax payers. But sounds like the upshot is that the plans to deliver free childcare places to a third of all 2year olds have been kicked into the long grass.

Such a disappointment.

I understand that there won't be as much money in the kitty now from vouchers. But if childcare is really a priority, like they keep telling us it is, they should find the cash from somewhere else so they can keep to the promise the PM made at Labour Party Conference. Or at least go some of the way and give free places to the poorest children.

Labour won't be getting my vote unless they sort this...

Can't havE it both ways unfortunately.

I'd much rather get the vouchers as my ds is still under 1 and I've been back at work for what feels like ages. Child care for 2 yo wouldn't help us now and chances are we will be having no 2 by the time ds is 2.

Meant to add that I'd be on maternity leave by then.

Why would you think you'd have qualified anyway ? The funds were for families with special requirements and very low incomes.

Are you sure? We got a email from council saying to contact them if we thought we qualified (certain postocode and on benefits and lone parent/disabled) so i think a slim criteria

aND AT prerschool AGM they said our preschool had agreed to sign up to the scheme (which has different procedures etc) and would take poss 2 of these 2 yr olds next sept

I am quite pleased they are phasing them out as those free places for 2 (and the current ones for 3 yr olds) are a big fucking con.
2.5 hours a day is not long enough to get a job, so it doesn't help me like that and if DD's were at full time nnursery or childminder I would still have to pay for care to 'hold' their place as they woudl be acting as respinsible adults for them. Actually, as I would be charegd petrol to pick them up and take them, it might end up costing me to send them to the governments 'free' palces.

I have never seen a voucher. I dont really know what they are TBH.

We should be getting funding for our 2 year old in the New Year. He has 15 hours at our local children's centre.

We are still referring children at work.

They and DS3 qualify due to low incomes and disability in the family.

The criteria is not a slim as you may think. The income bit is (income support, highest WTC) but the other reasons for ref are quite open to interpretation i.e. disability in the family, mental health issues, social need etc. Cant remember exactly but a good HV should be able to word the referral in order to get a child accepted.

I dont think its a con, tbh

DD is entitled to 5 x 3hr sessions, she goes 2 mornings 9-12 and one day 9-3 atm as it works for me, but if i needed it she could go two days 9-3 and i could work p/t. A fulltime nursery if you use one should just knok 15 hours off the bill.

MillyMolly - Sure, not many people qualify now for 2yo places. But that's the whole point. They were going to extend to 250,000 places which is a third of families...

JacktheHalls - Sorry that your free place offer is such a mess. Sounds like your council have screwed up though. Where I live you can get pretty much the hours you want and apparently there's going to be new legal rights for all parents to demand the hours we need from next year. I reckon free childcare is one of the best things this government have done...

jack is right. they only work if you are either using them towards f/t or p/t nursery. useless for cm or nanny and will indeed cost double.

i think it is a sinister drive to make all childcare be delivered communally.

Compared to cutting 300 police officers roles in greater manachester, this is the least of our worries, do people really not get that this country has run out of money to hand out to "the poorest families" and the poor are just going to sort themselves out and have some personal responsibility ?

Agree with Jack - it seems bloody impossible to get a place in a nursery around here anyway. The only ones with places only do the 2.5 hour sessions. Fat lot of use to me.

Makes me very cross. They should just give the parents the vouchers to be used towards the childcare of their choice.

MillyMollyMoo, I agree - the money could be far better spend elsewhere rather than funding childcare for people who do not work.

The vouchers encourage people to work and pay into the system.

Happy I work, OH works. Ok only part time but circumstance dictate that not laziness.

We need place so I dont have to leave toddler with OH when I go to work in the morning. He needs to wake up slowly due to having MS. These free places help people like us to keep our jobs.

BTW before several tons of shit hit our fan we had both been paying taxes since our early teens.

Perhaps the place won't be available for the single mum because you have it.
I understand it's been offered to you on a plate, doesn't mean it's right that you should take it though just as I pay for my prescriptions when I'm pregnant, I don't have to but when I can afford to I do because it is ridiculas that whilst earning decent money I shouldn't.

And the other lady has openly admitted she doesn't need it and doesn't know why she's been offered it, but she fancies a break so she's taking it, what if that meant your child didn't get a place ?

I'm probably being very judgemental because we could all do with a break from time to time but we don't all get the tax payers to fund it, people need to get on with raising their own children and stop expecting others to fund just about every aspect of it from the ageof 2 now.
Oh and I'm curious as to why you think that an 18 year old with an NVQ looking after 3 other children would be better placed to help your childs development ?

I sent my older children to nursery from a young age and paid for it myself but I wouldn't send the next one for free, at 2 years old they should be playing with their mums, not being "educated"

we start our children at 2. We pay for two mornings a week from 2 until 3 then use the free hours from 3 onwards.

MillyMollyMoo I am a SAHM and actually feel quite strongly about being here for the children and plan to be a SAHM until they are all at least in primary school BUT children as young as 2 BENEFIT from time socializing with AND without their parents and get opportunities and nursery they just wouldnt get at home.

Nurseries dont sit children down and teach them the alphabet they play and have fun!

Also many nurseries have wonderful staff who are parents themselves.

Oh and I though that some people already had free places at two? perhaps I am wrong but a friend of mine who struggles ALOT alone with three quite difficult children under 5 (dont get me started whole new thread!) has a free place at a nursery for her two year a few hours a week.