Gordon Brown wants free nurseries for 2yo. GRRRR

[purits]

When my DC were young, there was none of this state provision of pre-school places. I had to pay for my DC's childcare. When I realised that private schools cost about the same nurseries (at this age), we went to private school because, again, state schools did not then provide the after-school clubs and wraparound care that they do today.

If my DC were a bit older, they would have had free University tuition but now they will have to pay.

I do not begrudge today's parents their free state provision but our generation seem to have been stuffed at both ends of their educational life. We have had the double whammy of having to pay for what others have had for free and also paying for those same others through my taxes. Not fair!

Just another sound bite and idea used to push his hidden agenda IMHO
Think he should use the money to improve education higher up the scale or make childcare tax deductible for working parents!!

really tired I guess there are some places that cost more to live in than your place!

to whoever posted it (I can't find it sorry) I think you'll find your nursery 'saves' just as many afternoon places for the full-timers as morning ones

Doesn't the gov. allready subsidise parents to stay at home with child tax credit?

I guess they want this to replace them because fewer people will take it up=cost savings all round=happy goverment!

There are loads of nurseries near me. We are lucky to have a choice of nearly 30 nurseries or pre schools within 2 miles. I think the competition keeps the cost down.

I live in the South East and in easy commuting distance of London. I don't think there can be many parts of the country where childcare vouchers aren't enough to pay for two and half hours.

There are loads of nurseries near me. We are lucky to have a choice of nearly 30 nurseries or pre schools within 2 miles. I think the competition keeps the cost down.

I live in the South East and in easy commuting distance of London. I don't think there can be many parts of the country where childcare vouchers aren't enough to pay for two and half hours.

There are loads of nurseries near me. We are lucky to have a choice of nearly 30 nurseries or pre schools within 2 miles. I think the competition keeps the cost down.

I live in the South East and in easy commuting distance of London. I don't think there can be many parts of the country where childcare vouchers aren't enough to pay for two and half hours.

There are loads of nurseries near me. We are lucky to have a choice of nearly 30 nurseries or pre schools within 2 miles. I think the competition keeps the cost down.

I live in the South East and in easy commuting distance of London. I don't think there can be many parts of the country where childcare vouchers aren't enough to pay for two and half hours.

TBH if Gordon has money to spare I would just like the cash. I find it disturbing this idea that the only childcare that is suitable is given by anyone other than mothers.

Does anyone know if somebody using a CM will be eligible for the grant?

I guess if the CM is accredited they will as they can get the 3 year old grant, but there are not that many Accredited CM's.

If CM's cant claim it, it will be another way of getting rid of CM's.

Really tired I guess since you need to be working to earn the money to get childcare vouchers a proportion of people might want to use them for more than 2.5 hrs though!
Am in London (have just realised in a bit of a nursery hole!) there are lots of vacant places at some stages but no sign of costs being kept down.
One place we looked at recently wants £260/week!!!

Nursery is mainly about play. Both my dds went from age 1. (private, 8am-6pm). It's lovely. And I work and provide for family. More tax breaks/credits would help though so rock on Gordon.

tonton, you send your children to nursery because you work and as you say, they play and they enjoy it. Thats great. But obviously you have a job that covers the expense of childcare. So the free provision will not affect you, as the 2.5 hours will clearly be of no benefit. As i have said before i don't think that nursery is bad for children but i don't think it is better than parental care in most cases. I just think that the free nursery from 2 is a gimmick and not necessarily the way forward.

What would be really useful for me would be longer sessions so that i could actually use the time to work.

My BIL lives in a london borough and cannot actually find free nursery in his area so they can only afford to send their three year old to two sessions a week as there are no nurseries in thier area that accept the tokens - maybe GB should be concentrating on ensuring that there is fair provision of free nursery for EVERYONE. It is not a particularly affluent area of london either.

Justaflying - DD2 will hopefully start at the state nursery next year when she's 3 - I do work but it's still a stretch to pay. I think the hours are 9-3ish. I will then pay to top up those hours depending on DH's business (he's self employed so doing most of childcare these days).
When dd1 was at nursery we got a discount from when she was 3 which made a big difference. iw ill certainly use any benefits availbale and welcome them. i use the nursery tokens too.

Did no one notice Purits third post? Ever so slightly barking.

When I read the op i thought yeah whatever, we've all been in situations like that with pensions, health care etc etc, that's life but very odd reaction to scummymummy there if you ask me purits, you didn't make your choices for the good of future generations, they were for your own benefit, which is what we're all doing.

There is a good piece in todays Indie by Deborah Orr basically saying that this idea that children shoudl be handed over to the professionals at the earliest opportunity is quite insulting and I agree.

The fact that they are straight jacketing all nurseries with this EYFS kind of underlines the point. I'm actually starting to think seriously about taking ds out of nursery at 3 because I don't want him put under pressure to read/write etc. and put off for life.

TBH this latest scheme will cost over £1billion and I would rather that money was used to help poorer families (and OAPs) to heat their homes this winter.

I totally agree with foxinsocks. It sounds great, and btw I think that 2 hrs and a half a day at nursery is a good way to spend time for the average 2.5 yr old.

our local state nursery doesn't do more than 2.5 hour sessions. My problem is that i consider this to be the best nursery in our area, apart from one which we couldnt get DD into due to it being over subscribed. I was genuinely shocked once when i asked a mother why she chose a particular nursery (especially as i had visited and was unimpressed) when she said that she chose it because it was the closest one to her . Each to their own i guess.

My DD is more than ready for nursery now, in fact i have itchy fingers to send her there before her start date in october, but at two, she wouldn't have been ready. I think if free places were available i would have felt pressurised into taking them up as i am such an eager to please person and want to do what is considered the right thing.

I agree with everyone who says yes, its a nice idea Gordon, but there are more pressing issues where that money would be better spent. I mean, if he scraps the free nursery places he can extend the free theatre tickets offer to vouchers for free saunas and massage for stress releif. Hmmm, you have to wonder about someone who thinks that is a good idea don't you. Of course it is good that people get access to cultural experiences. I think it is equally important that children from lets say, comfortable cultured families too get to experience the culture of the amusement arcade and 2p machine. Perhaps vouchers for this would be an idea. A sort of exchange, chavvie children get taken to the opera, Boden wearing children get taken to the arcade and Mac Donalds

mmmmm. I don't know. In my personal list of civilised countries, the countries with "free"/subsidized childcare come to the top.
So I think this is a great idea. Both for parents who work full time, both for those at home/studying whatever.

"Really tired I guess since you need to be working to earn the money to get childcare vouchers a proportion of people might want to use them for more than 2.5 hrs though!"

1dilemma, my guess is that it will be like the three year old vouchers that all children will be eligible for them. It will be a subsidy for working mums and allow SAHMs a much needed break. Parents will still be able to claim means tested child tax credits.

Still I wonder were the capacity is for all the places needed.

"Really tired I guess since you need to be working to earn the money to get childcare vouchers a proportion of people might want to use them for more than 2.5 hrs though!"

1dilemma, my guess is that it will be like the three year old vouchers that all children will be eligible for them. It will be a subsidy for working mums and allow SAHMs a much needed break. Parents will still be able to claim means tested child tax credits.

Still I wonder were the capacity is for all the places needed.

To the OP - I can see where you are coming from. We sent our first to a private school because it was the only one that provided wrap around care, however, when our local school opened after school (only after a year) we then sent her there. I had major panics over sending her to school as I just didn't know how to get her picked up without a childminder, which I didn't really want at the time.

I am sort of caught in the same position with no help at the start (ie, nursery) and now having to pay at the end (ie, university). It is a bit crap really, but it is good that schools stay open longer and mums don't have to worry like I did.

Now I just have the worry about university for 2!

(and don't get too upset about other people's comments - ignore them)

Reallytired I think you're missing my point, I was responding to you response to the blonde about the money you/we are currently given for the 2.5 hours for 3 yr olds being enough.
It might be where you are but it covers less than one hour of childcare for me, (I think) so maybe it should be set at what ever is needed to cover 2.5 hours for all children hence those in London/SE get more! It's nice to consider the situation others are in not just say well I'm allright.....
That is probably justa's BIL problem, bet most of the nurseries take the vouchers it's just that in London you get such a tiny amount off your bill you wouldn't even notice it.
I know of one nursery here where the session is free for 3 yr olds but you pay for everything else, snack art materials etc etc

Why don't you move out to the suburbs 1dilemma? The quality of life where I am is very good. I can get into London within 40 minutes.

I don't think its realistic for the governant to pay whatever nurseries ask. Otherwise its like a blank cheque to nursery owners. Prehaps there could be 10% extra for London weighting.

I live in easy reach of London. You don't have to move to the Yorkshire moors to find somewhere more affordable than central London.

No but I am contractually obliged to live within 10 miles of my workplace as is dh we both have exemptions but this is the triangulation point IYSWIM

Thanks for your posting, figroll. I've only just spotted it because I have been hiding from this thread. I thought that I had posted a fairly light-hearted, it's-a-bit-crap "not fair!" in the OP but it obviously wasn't taken that way by some.