Complaints from parents

[ScrewedByFunding]

Essentially with the funding changes, I'm having to redo my fees structure and start charging for food, increase my additional hourly rate etc. Like most settings, just trying to get by!

But parents are making me feel like packing it all in. Due to funding increasing to 30 hours, their invoices are going be tiny! But they still aren't happy and I'm feeling massively unappreciated.

Any other childminders, preschools or nursery managers able to sympathise?

I think you need to get rid of these parents and take on nice families that appreciate everything you do.

As well as putting up your hourly fee you could also stop accepting 3/4 year olds and just take the younger ones. I think a lot of settings will reduce the number of 3/4 year olds or stop taking them completely. Maybe then the government will realise there is a problem.

I don’t work in the sector, but I completely sympathise. As a parent that needs a lot of additional hours, I’ve been well and truly screwed over the by the extending in funding.

After price increased for the extra hours I needed, I was only going to save about £10 a week, but I know that’s not the nurseries fault they are a business that needs to make a profit not a charity.

I am genuinely not trying to make things difficult for parents. They are still receiving a very generous offer. I want to charge £2 for lunch and £2 for dinner (only 1 stays for dinner) and hourly rate up by 50p - only one family does 5 extra hours, the rest are fully funded! We are talking under £20 for 3 days of childcare. I could cry.

How old is the child? If over 3 then move them on to nursery and replace with a baby.

If they are not happy with your hourly rate going up just 50p and a tiny charge for food I would be telling all parents that you cannot afford to offer their funded places anymore and suggest they look elsewhere. They will be hard pushed to find any setting as reasonable as you. Honestly, the funding is great for parents but it's made some parents so entitled.

It really has made some very entitled. I really do feel like telling them to look elsewhere, I might suggest that in not so many words.

I haven’t spoken to parents yet, I’m still deciding what I’m going to do. In all honesty, I think I’m going to throw in the towel. I’m so tired of jumping through hoops, making constant changes, the endless after hours work and struggling to earn minimum wage. I love caring for and nurturing tiny people but there’s only so much I can take. I also hate the fact that I’m now essentially an employee of the local authority/government without the perks like sick pay, holiday pay, and pension! There’s also zero job security.

You are providing a much needed service and I was paying £1.25 for lunch about 30 years ago. £2 is a bargain. I can't see why these parents don't recognise this. What can you buy for £2?

If they are bothered by the extra food cost tell them you no longer provide food and for them to send packed lunches in