CM Club: Free 2 hr Nursery sessions for 2 year olds

[TheIronLady]

Is this scheme running in your area? not sure if it is just mine.

A 2 year scheme that offers free 10hrs pw nursery sessions to two year olds who are from single, teenage, disadvantaged/in need families.

Where there is insufficient nursery provision locally, childminders are being invited to take part in the scheme, me being one of them.

Obviously there are financial implications (loss of income etc).

Does this scheme run in your area and what do you think about being paid for 38 weeks of the year? what are we supposed to do financially for the remaining 12 weeks of the year given that children will not attend the setting for a straight 38 weeks (attendance coincides with school terms) so for me for instance, it is unlikely that I will be able to fill the slots with holiday placements (not enough demand in my area).

I think this is a great scheme for families to be able to access resources for their children in this way but I do not think that this has been thought through properly if the idea is to use childminders for this type of scheme. We are going to be operating at a loss.

Would be interested in any opinions if you have agreed to be part of this type of scheme.

I'm not a childminder but I am the business manager of a preschool. We were asked to join this scheme in September but declined because although the hourly rate was more than for 3&4 year olds it was less income overall due to being only 10 hours. Also, the amount of admin and inter-agency working that came with it was a pain.

Some settings within local areas of high deprevation took it up, but only becuase they have low numbers of 'paying' customers.

Thats interesting TidyBush.

The hourly rate is roughly £1 higher per the usual hourly rate charged by childminders locally but having worked it out, this would only compensate for 6 of the 12 weeks. Momentarily forgot about all the paperwork for each child. I just can't see how I could make it work.

If you were to accept a child for 2 hours, it would prevent you taking a full-time child of the same age. The child would be in your ratio for those 2 hours, then you would have the rest of the day to sell to someone else... can't imagine you would fill the rest of the day.

You are right nannynick, very unlikely to fill the rest of the day, although I have been told that I can offer the sessions as half day sessions or as 1 full day but still the problem of losing 6/12 weeks a year out of each child placed under this scheme.

I wouldn't be able to offer 2 hr sessions daily as it would have an impact on my routine anyway.

I used to have a few children who wanted half day sessions which all slotted together nicely but there is not the demand for it now so all my current mindees are full days.

I am a childminder and the 2 yr old scheme was piloted in my area, Rochdale. We offer 15 hours a week term time only, my current family (finishing in March) do 2 and a half days which fits in with the children I have on Care to Learn (teenage parents back to education). I have three children taking up one full time place, so it works for me.

I will do this scheme again, most likely from Sept 10 as I will have a full time baby starting in April 10 and another starting in Jan 11.

Ask if you can do 5 hour session then you could fill the week with a couple of 2yr pilots