Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Nursery hrs please help

28 replies

Girlturnedmama · 29/12/2024 17:50

Hello all,
I need to work out the best hours to send my soon to be 9 month old baby to nursery. I have to work 32 hrs when I return in March, my nursery is a 45min walk away from my work and I don’t drive, nursery opens at 8 and isn’t open the weekends. My mum can help look after my baby every other weekend. Just wondering hours that worked for mums in similar scenarios, to be honest I haven’t slept in 3 days so my brain cannot seem to come up with a schedule and I’m worrying I just want it sorted so I can have a clear head.

Please any suggestions on what has worked starting and finishing times for you all.
I also have to take into consideration times to leave work on time in order to make it before nursery pick up.

Any help greatly appreciated and sorry if this makes no sense!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
jannier · 05/01/2025 13:54

Orangesandlemonade · 05/01/2025 10:45

Yes as a childcare provider I have weekly emails from our funding team and we have to imput data every month. Our LA does not offer stretched funding , why do you find that so difficult to understand.
Funding is to deliver early years education not childcare and is 38 weeks of the year only .I would advice a new parent to start with me after 21 April or they would have to pay privately if I was open from 1 - 21 . So for a mum going back to work in March that might mean dad taking a weeks holiday or grandparents. We would probably do some settling dates (settling can’t be funded) and then they would start full time days when funding starts . Of course they may prefer to just pay privately for non funded weeks but this may be difficult just after maternity leave for some families .

Show quote history

Your borough are obviously very different. In mine we are allowed to stretch. We are allowed to offer funding to our own term dates providing all non stretched hours are offered within the 3 months. We are allowed to use funding for settling.

Orangesandlemonade · 05/01/2025 14:56

jannier · 05/01/2025 13:54

Your borough are obviously very different. In mine we are allowed to stretch. We are allowed to offer funding to our own term dates providing all non stretched hours are offered within the 3 months. We are allowed to use funding for settling.

Show quote history

Yes you are correct all 150 plus local authorities are different , which I think is unfair on parents and providers.
I have a baby starting tomorrow - settling this week, so not full days. I asked if the parents could use their 15 hours funding for this week , in February half term instead ,as I’m open . I was told quote :- Funded hours can’t be banked between funding periods ie missed hours in January/February couldn’t be used in March. But yes fine for half term as in Jan/February block.
We can’t use more than 15/30 in one week either .

jannier · 08/01/2025 19:18

Orangesandlemonade · 05/01/2025 14:56

Yes you are correct all 150 plus local authorities are different , which I think is unfair on parents and providers.
I have a baby starting tomorrow - settling this week, so not full days. I asked if the parents could use their 15 hours funding for this week , in February half term instead ,as I’m open . I was told quote :- Funded hours can’t be banked between funding periods ie missed hours in January/February couldn’t be used in March. But yes fine for half term as in Jan/February block.
We can’t use more than 15/30 in one week either .

Show quote history

Yes we can't bank hours for next term either.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread