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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

111 replies

darentinas · 03/03/2010 15:49

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.

OP posts:

ImNotBossyBoots · 03/03/2010 22:27

My DD nursery is great. They take her for the 12.5 hours over 5 days and they will increase this to 15 hrs in september. We currently pay 25p per day for snack which covers a piece of fruit and drink of water or milk.

I think £10 per week is a bit unreasonable, however compared to your travelling charges for taking her somewhere that doesn't charge this fee may be above and beyond this. Have you spoken to Tax Credits? They may be able to refund some or all of this as it is a nursery fee.

Sorry if this has already been said but not read all posts.

ImSoNotTelling · 04/03/2010 08:54

marge why should she "get over it" when the experience of people on this thread shows that she isn't getting a good deal?

Lizzzombie · 04/03/2010 09:07

Wasn't going to post, but this has irked me:

"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 am on a low income, DS has been going to a private nursery since he was 10 months so I can work my minimum wage retail job. Even though some people may think 'why bother its not much money she should stay at home', we need every penny, however few.

I will NEVER feel sorry for people who are lucky enough to wait and send their children only to pre school or nursery when their free fee places kick in. Welcome to the real world. Some of us have been paying for ages and don't expect handouts and freebies as our God given right.

YABU.

Original poster

darentinas · 04/03/2010 09:20

Lizzzombie, I'm not sure what your point is. The women at the nursery I am referring to have husbands who work but are on low incomes and like me, cannot really afford to spend £40 a month on extras like food and drink when we naively assumed our children's 12.5 hour entitlement to nursery education would be 'free'.

Also, you are assuming that I don't work. I do work but pay a childminder to look after my child. Unfortunately my understanding is that I can't use the childminder to claim my 12.5 hrs entitlement and I also wanted dd to experience nursery life before she goes to school.

OP posts:

Lizzzombie · 04/03/2010 09:42

Apologies for the assumption that you don't work.
I'm just fed up (& jealous) of seeing people not working because 'it isn't worth it' until they get their free nursery entitlement or their children start school.
I wrongly assumed that you were one of these and were complaining about paying something which other working parents have had to pay for much earlier.
Obviously you've been paying for childcare already. So I am getting off my soap box now. Sorry.

ImSoNotTelling · 04/03/2010 09:48

I think lizzie's point is that people should pay for everything, no-one should get a free ride and that free nursery places should be abolished. As why should people get nursery if they aren't able/prepared to work to pay for it.

I would say that free nursery places are a great idea especially for low income families, and agree with you Darentinus that it is a shame that very low income families are effectively unable to access this iniative in some areas due to additional costs. I would say that if that is the case then something should be done, as this type of benefit is particularly aimed at children from very low income families.

NonnoMum · 04/03/2010 09:49

Ask them not to feed her.

ImSoNotTelling · 04/03/2010 09:56

Lizzombie would you extend that argument to schools, and say that state schools should be allowed to charge high rates for drinks, snacks and meals, to the tune of say £100 a week? And children have to pay,packed lunches not allowed?

And if families couldn't pay they should simply remove their children from school or get a job?

gagamama · 04/03/2010 09:59

YABU to expect the food for free, but YANBU to want the ability to opt out of the snacks or provide your own. Surely parents should have a say on whether they want their children to eat at nursery or not?

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but I'd probably feign religious or medical reasons why your child cannot eat the supplied snacks/drinks and provide your own. No, the state shouldn't pay for your child, but you, as a parent, should have a choice about whether or not your child is fed by the nursery, and ergo the option to not have to pay for it. The fact that they might not be covering their costs is unforunate but not really your problem. £10 a week is an awful lot of money for snacks and drinks, the same thing bought by you could be as little as £1 a week.

mazzystartled · 04/03/2010 10:05

darentinas, can you not just find another nursery?

as i have said previously i think they have timed their sessions strangely to cover a mealtime, and they are offering 3 hours instead of 2.5, so you could be being charged for that 1/2 hour also.

also if you look on your local authority website they will have details of how the early years provision is handled where you live. in my area private day nurseries ARE allowed to charge for anything over the 2.5 hrs per session of "education".

in any case they should have let you know this BEFORE your DD started.

lovechoc · 04/03/2010 11:29

now the thread seems to be having a go at parents who only send their DC to the 'free' nursery places when their child turns three..charming..

I have chosen NOT to work, and DS will start his nursery education when it becomes free of charge until he then goes on to P1. Why on earth would anyone want to pay for this when you can get it for free?

We aren't rich or poor, but somewhere in between and still don't believe in paying for childcare. That's just my own opinion.

lovechoc · 04/03/2010 11:32

I think lizzie's point is that people should pay for everything, no-one should get a free ride and that free nursery places should be abolished. As why should people get nursery if they aren't able/prepared to work to pay for it.

highlighted point is what I'm getting at from my last post there.

I don't see the 'free nursery place' as childcare, I see it as nursery education, so it should be free, just like primary AND secondary education in state schools.

moaningminniewhingesagain · 04/03/2010 11:44

DD will be going to preschool for her NEG entitlement from April, they offer three hours x 5 sessions here. It's a preschool attached to a primary school.

In Jan she started going a couple of mornings a week that we pay for. It costs £7 for each 3 hour session and they get a snack of drink of milk plus a biscuit. Would rather she got fruit but thats fine. I was/am amazed at how little they charge here tbh.

moaningminniewhingesagain · 04/03/2010 11:47

I had thought they were not allowed to charge for extras with the grant/funded sessions but I may be wrong though

I do have the option of paying a further £3.50 for an extra hour at lunchtime, BYO packed lunch - we don't at present but it is offered.

Lizzzombie · 04/03/2010 12:21

Where exactly did I write that 'free nursery places should be abolished' etc???
My DS's free hours kick in after Easter, and I will be topping them up so I am able to continue working.

I object to what Lovechoc & Imsonot have suggested I would like to happen.

NormalityBites · 04/03/2010 12:26

YABU I have a 3 year old in nursery for the free hours. She eats three tow-course lunches and five snacks there per week, and I don't pay anything extra for these.

Original poster

darentinas · 04/03/2010 12:29

normalitybites, don't quite understand your point. You say I'm being unreasonable because I'm complaining about having to pay for extras while saying your child eats lunch and snacks at nursery for free! Why should you have to pay nothing while I have to stump up £40 per week? Genuinely interested.

OP posts:

lovechoc · 04/03/2010 12:34

well darentinas as many have repeatedly suggested to you on this thread - consider changing nursery, how about sending your DD to a state nursery where you won't be paying a penny??????? It's not rocket science

lovechoc · 04/03/2010 12:36

normalitybites shouldn't have to pay for lunches and snacks for her DC if she doesn't need to, she has clearly stated this...

We all have options out there, and if you don't like your current situation do something about it and change it for the better IMO.

Original poster

darentinas · 04/03/2010 12:38

Calm down lovechoc. There are no state nurseries nearby - I live in a very rural area.

OP posts:

lovechoc · 04/03/2010 12:44

that's unfortunate you've nothing nearby. apologies for getting on highhorse!

I just get annoyed when the free places are slagged off, regardless of one's circumstances. The nearest nursery where I live is a state nursery which I'm happy for DS to go to in August and if he's getting snacks for free that's going to be a bonus.

You should have maybe said in your OP that your DD is at a private nursery because there are no state nurseries nearby. It would have helped a lot when people are trying to reply and help you out.

lovechoc · 04/03/2010 12:47

on a constructive note, you may want to phone around other nurseries in the area and find out what their policy is on snack costs then. It does seem alot of money in the long-term. Most toddlers can be so picky at meal times and if alot of the food is hardly being eaten each day it's like watching money going down the drain. I can see your frustration. If you can find a better nursery which will save you money then it may be worth considering.

coldtits · 04/03/2010 12:49

I send my child to a private nursery that provides 15 hours free education. i send him with a packed lunch, after they told me they would be charging £3 a day for a (admittedly very very good) hot lunch.

If you make it clear that they either allow you to provide a banana and a drink of water for snack or you'll withdraw her, they might capitulate on this.

I understand that nurseries aren't making a great deal of money. NOBODY is at the moment. But £10 per week for the amount a three year old will eat in 12.5 hours that don't cover a meal time is extortion

frogetyfrog · 04/03/2010 13:00

Havent read the whole thread and maybe should have done, but we used to have to pay a top up when our nursery had the children for 3 hours. We got 2.5 hours free per day, but that couldnt be taken as slightly more for 4 days rather than 2.5 for 5 days for various reasons. Therefore we paid for the extra half hour, plus a snack. About £3 per day from memory. Very normal round here. There is one nursery that does actually do the 2.5 hour sessions and that doesnt charge as only gives a biscuit and a juice.

tjacksonpfc · 04/03/2010 14:04

my ds in a preschool attached to the primary school. He gets his 15 hours a week free entitlement. During this time they get free fruit milk and water. They also cook once a week and get differnt things to try during snack time.

I then pay extra for him to stay 1 afternoon a week i pay £7.80 for an extra 3hrs 10mins.

We have the option of him having ahot school dinner which will cost us £1.90 on top or he can take a packed lunch in. We go down the packed lunch route as i make his sister one anyway and we have a hot evening meal at home as a family. In the afternoon the get a snack and drink aswell.

The only time we get asked to contribute is a pound a week if they are doing something special. Or if they have a class party for xmas or something the parents are all asked to bring a plate of something in.

On their birthdays the children all get a presant from the nursery aswell and at easter and xmas.

So i think that the £10 a week you are being charged is very expensive and personally i would be looking at another nursery.

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