to be shocked that I still have to pay for nursery food and drink during my ds 'free' 12.5 hrs at nursery?

[darentinas]

DD is now entitled to the 12.5hrs 'free' childcare at nursery for 3 year olds. However, in her first week I have been presented with an invoice charging me for drinks, snacks and tea. Apparently because she goes from 2-5 for 4 days a week she has to have a light meal in the afternoon.

AIBU to think that surely the government should pay for this? What is the point of offering 'free' places only for parents to then have to find the money to pay for lots of extras? I just don't know how I'm going to afford the extra cash. I did ask if dd could attend the morning session but was told I would still have to pay for drinks, snacks and a lunch. There is no way round it, she cannot go for 'free'.

I was chatting to 2 other women who have said they are not going to be able to send their children to the nursery for their 12.5 hrs either because of these extra costs. It seems like this scheme isn't actually helping the people it is aimed at, people on low incomes who may not ordinarily be able to send their children to nursery so that chldren can enjoy socialising with others, preparing them for school etc.

I naively assumed that dd would go for her 12.5 hrs and I wouldn't have to pay anything. The Government bangs on about providing free childcare for 3 to 5 year olds but it isn't actually free is it? It seems like one big conspiracy to me.

Can you send her to a school nursery, or is there not one of those at the local school?

YANB particularly U, but someone has to pay for the food, and if you are using a private nursery then that is par for the course. £10 a week seems a lot and I agree that it is therefore not 'free' as you have no option but to pay it (unless there is somewhere else you can send her).

It's a light meal. Probably at 4 - 4.30. Beans on toast or similar.

Day nurseries are only run for profit so they have to pay a cook to provide the meals.

I'm not sure if some nurseries lose money on the free places (i.e. the government don't pay as much as their normal hourly rate) so they won't want to subsidise meals as well! It may be the only way to recoup some lost income.

I think you have just picked the wrong nursery for you. Though i dont know how much choice you have, of course.

DD goes to a preschool and gets 3 hours free per day, though sessions are either 9-12 or 12-3, she takes packed lunch the day she stays all day. All children have to take in fruit for snacktime but are provided with free milk.

My DN preschool gives the children free fruit too, but there is no option to stay for lunch.

The government is enabling everyone to benefit from theses grants enabling them to be used in different types of settings, like a day nursery which would be the only option for working mothers.

However if you dont need the hot meals etc as you adrent working i think you would be better off at a different nursery.

I also think you are griping in the wrong direction, your gripe is with the nursery not the govt.

Mine goes to a private preschool (we don't get the free sessions yet) but we are asked to take a bag of fruit or veg in each week and they use all of that for the snacks, everything else is provided. Only extra charge is if they stay for lunch but I think they accept packed lunches.

Look for a different nursery.

I agree the food bill you are being presented with for a 3 hour daily afternoon period does seem high.

There is no basis whatsoever for the nursery to force you to pay for food, when it's clear that at 2pm, your DD will have eaten her lunch and will be having her tea after you pick her up. 3hrs will not result in her wasting away. Even more ridiculous that outside food is banned.

It sounds like a bit of a ruse for the nursery to get more money out of the parents. If I were you, I'd call the relevant authority and query the law and whatever regulations your school is trying to fob you off with.

I'd seriously look for another nursery. I'd garner support from the other Mums you spoke to as well.

I'd also suggest that you tell the school that unless they remove this ridiculous compulsory food thing, you (and the other Mums) will be looking for alternative schools.

My DS is attending his 15 hrs free childcare at a Montessori nursery, and I provide him with his lunch on the day he attends all day, and otherwise he can help himself to a water, milk or some fruit at the snack table if he so wishes. He doesn't ever, but I'm not charged anything.

BTW, I'm only mentioning that it's a Montessori, to demonstrate that it's also private and not known for it's low fees if I were to be funding it myself.

But your question is about if you should still have to pay for food when the schooling is free. In reply to that question, sorry, but definitely YABU.

Free nursery education is just that.

I thoiught that they couldn't actually charge for snacks, because of the free entitlement.

But many nurseries/preschools will only allow you to attend 9 -12 or 12 - 3 for the free entitlement, maybe this si why you get the additional charges fo rsnacks?

You could ocntact your local Surestart or Lcal Authority ot find out more, or Ofsted.

The only gripe you legitimately have with the government is that there is not a public nursery near enough to where you live.

Othrwise this is a private nursery and they can charge what they like as it's a business. You might as well be complaining about the price of cheese at the local corner shop

If the tories get in expect all of it to disappear

The grant is an education grant so doesn't cover food.

However £2 a day seems really expensive. I'm a nursery teacher and charge parents 10p a day. This covers biscuits, toast, cheese, cereal etc.

All nurseries will get milk free. We are lucky as we also get a piece of fruit or veg per child per day free which reduces what we charge by a bit.

What do they get for £2 per day???

Dd's private nursery was mainly aimed at working parents, and most kids went full time. So they gave the children tea at 4.15 because many of them wouldn't be getting home until 6.30. I'd guess your nursery is similar, so you are paying for superfluous meals because if your dd is there at the time when everyone else is eating she has to eat too.

I agree with others that you probably need to try to find a nursery that suits your needs better. £10/week is an awful lot though, and they should have been clearer about the cost upfront.

DD goes to the local pre school, afternoon session, and gets fruit and a carton of milk.

I'd find out from the Council what the free nursery entitlement includes.

DD's preschool just invite 'donations' and usually put up a list.

I don't mind dropping off say a pack of crackers, cheese, some fruit, pack of tea.

You would feed your child a snack if they were at home surely?

£2.50 per day for 3 hours does seem £££ - Are they ordering in Starbucks??

Unfortunately I cant see what other choice you have though?

Forgot to say, ds goes to playgroup one morning a week, they have a rota, and parents just bring in a couple of packets of cookies/box of grapes/raisins whatever when it is their turn. Seems to work quite well.

When he gets his funded session they take a pack lunch if they are there all day.

DS's pre-school ask for £1 a week for snack and if they stay for lunch they have to take a packed lunch. They are open 9-3 each day.

I think YABU.

I think £2.50 for a meal, drink and snack is probably a little on the pricey side (presuming your £10 per week is divided into 4 sessions), but I think that you chose this nursery so you should abide by their rules or find a different one.

I think YABvU to think that your child should eat for free whilst accessing the free educational facilities.

State school are free. However, when your DD goes to school, you'll have to buy her some uniform etc.

The state can only afford so much and I think expecting free food at nursery is unreasonable. You would have to feed her if she was home with you anyway.

can you not send your DD to a state nursery then rather than a private one or does that not make a bit of difference??
I am now worried, DS starts nursery in August and now wondering (state nursery) if I'll need to cough up extra money for 'snacks' too... anyone?

its not just food to teh value of X is it, it coving the provison of a kitchen, probadly staffed.
nursery room staff may well not prepare the food as kitchen staff do it, so your child doesn't get left in an understaffed room.

My lad is at a preschool , on early years funding, preschool provide only a drink ( milk or water) each session. Snack is what ever each childs parents have sent them with that day.

YANBU

1. £2.50 is more than a secondary school child would pay for their main meal.

1. She is only there 3 hours and not at a conventional meal time. She shouldn't need to eat anything at all so a drink and a piece of toast or a biscuit is more than enough. How has she got time to have a meal and snacks in a 3 hour session. Every toddler activity I go to is completely overcatered. No wonder they are so fat.

However they are private, not state so they can do as they please.

State (maintained) nurseries get free fruit and milk.

Not for profit groups and private nurseries can apply to join the milk schemes but can't access the free fruit.

The amount of funding that non maintained settings get for the nursery education grant is pitiful and does not cover the real costs of the provision. Settings have to find other ways to subsidise this provision, be it charging a higher fee for children not yet eligable for the 'free' hours or charging for snacks etc.

Why should the taxpayer pay to feed your child. Really, if you couldn't afford a child, why did you have one?

thanks TidyBush for the link.

OP can you not just change nurseries to save yourself some money?? YANBU that does sound like a lot of money each month.

hang on, it is a private nursery, the OP is getting her free 12.5 hours of nursery education/place. food is on top of that

a state funded nursery/rpe schol would charge considerably less, if anyhting. it was £4 a month when DD went to pre school last year , for a weeks worth of snakcs and drinks, this was a state funded pre school, and she was only there for the 12.5 hours.

there was a place to send her that included lunch, but you had to pay a bit extra than £4 a month

you can't expect freed childcare and food, OP ,from a private , for profit day nursery

Query this with your local authority.

My dd attends a private nursery (full time) and her allowance comes off the bill, ie x hrs a week are paid for by the grant at the same price as I was paying before her 3rd birthday.

Unless this is different for a part time place, the fee would undoubtedly be inclusive of meals, as you would pay privately. In my locality there isn't a set ££ amount per child, it's just whatever the ££ happens to be for x hours.

Did you not sign a contract if it's a private nursery?