When is a private nursery really private?

[Socci]

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Socci - once your child is 3 you cn get the 'early years grant' (I think it is called) - money paid from the LEA to the private nursery, and it subsidises your place by about £25 a week, I think. The nursery will do all the paperwork for you - you just have to fil in a form they give you.

By vouchers, do you mean the tax exemption on your payments to a nursery? That's where you - and DP?DH can both make a salary sacrifice, and money is paid instead in vouchers, or direct from your employer, to a private nursery - and you do not pay tax on that amount.

The government are paying for all pre-school age children to have pre-school sessions (i think its 5 a week) session = 3hours.

So children in pre-school get all their fees paid.

A child who is in a day nursery - whether LA or private will get the equivalent cost of those hours deducted off their fees as government will pay money to nursery regardless of its status.

As a seperate thing LA nurseries have different funding criteria depending on each families situation, and some children will have a fully funded place by the LA.

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Why do you want to send your child to a nursery that does not rely on LA , it can save you alot of money and you are entitled to it .

our nursery is a private nursery, but we have "community" places for children of families on low incomes (which are means-tested) plus we get the Early Years grants for over-3's (this is universal).

Socci - most private nurseries don't rely on LA for anything, just simple fact that the government pay the 3year olds fees. It is now a very smooth running procedure unlike when it first came out a few years back and payments went haywire.

Can i ask why you don't want LA involvement?

Often those who do have LA involved are very well equipped and provided for.

Socci - In our area, the LA nurseries for 3 year-olds are the nurseries of schools - and a place is only for 2hrs10mins a day, morning or afternoon. Meanwhile private nurseries tend to function more as childcare for working parents, but incorporate the ofsted early years curriculum in the pre-school stage of the nursery. You are offered the subsidy if you are not also using a school nursery place - but if you wanted, you could refuse it!

There are a few LA daycare nurseries, but in our borough only available to single parents on v low income, for e.g - heavily competitive and means tested.

The early years grant is currently £7.94 per session for a maximum of 5 sessions a week. You are eligible for this from the term after your child turns 3 as long as they attend an "approved setting". You will see most nurseries/playgroups etc. nowadays advertising "we accept nursery funding" or something similar. That only covers around half of the fee for private nurseries around here but I've certainly been grateful for it!

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