Consumables / top up charges

[itsmeyouknow]

Those whose children attend a nursery that charges a daily fee for meals and consumables (in response to the early years funding). Are you charged when your child doesn’t attend through sickness or planned holiday? Mine has just introduced it and charges regardless of attendance, and I think it’s fair enough to build it into the model but surely only charge when they’re actually there (or if it’s used for staffing levels when you give say 1 months notice of leave..)
Understand from reading government guidelines that these fees are “voluntary” but would think my place would disappear if I didn’t volunteer to pay them...

Interested to hear others views.

Logically, you are right of course, but anyone who has an idea about balancing the books at a Nursery, understands that the money the Nursery can claim for any hours that are "free" to the parents don't actually cover the cost of the Nursery place.
It would be FAR more logical to just give parents a voucher for £x off the bill.
Nurseries can't stand all the pretense and faffing about with making up things they can charge for, and of course having to explain to each new parents that comes long that when the Gvmnt press Office likes to say "FREE", that doesn't translate, in reality, into a fully paid for place.

I guess as well these consumables are brought well in advance often termly for craft cooking and cleaning and not apportioned out by a day or rushed out and brought on the day for 10 children.

They would still have the key worker to pay, the rates and maybe a chef to pay, even if you have a years notice of leave. If they are doing extra activities or going on an outing, it won't be any cheaper without the extra child.

The government are simply not paying what it costs to provide places and nurseries are trying to find ways to stay open, while still offering parents the chance to save money.

Try and look at how much money you're saving, rather than how much it costs. Will that help?

Thanks for this, hadn’t considered a few of these points.

Even if you give notice of not attending the staff will need paying as they will be employed to cover the amount of children expected
Those staff will have mortgages and other bills to pay
Nurseries tend not to have staff on zero hours or casual contracts as consistent is important for the children
That's why you have to pay when you don't attend, you've entered in to a contract

To be clear, I have no issues paying the daily fees when my child is absent, so the comment about staff having mortgages to pay isn’t that helpful. This consumable is being billed as food and non essentials that my child will not get when not there. hence the discussion.

It's because they're not allowed to put on the bill

Top up because the government underpaid us

So they have to call it something else.

I've always thought it was still fair to pay the meal charge. They will have ordered and bought the food in advance.

I work in a nursery and this makes my blood boil. Yes they are a business but that doesn’t mean you can take advantage of people who rely on childcare to work. The building needs heating and the staff need paying whether your child is there or not, so should be charged regardless, Consumables are not used when your child is not there so should not be charged! If it were me I would be paying the bill minus those consumables seeing as your child didn’t actually eat/have/use any!

Thing is they couldn't afford to pay the staff if they didn't charge for extras, and that doesn't change when your dd isn't there
Please watch this video
m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zm-mYA6XpQ

You don't have to pay any fees if you don't wish to as long as your willing to provide a pack lunch etc. Y3s I understand nurseies have a short fall in funding but right now nurseries are.making it complusary which is illegal, plus this extra fee will be the determining factor if my girlfriend goes back to work or not. But if buy any stretch of the imagination we are forced to pay this I will sue them for loss of earnings

Yes consumable charges have to voluntary, but sadly if parents don’t pay them offering funding is just not viable to the provider. I lose Over a £1 per hour offering funding which I can not afford and I am not prepared to sub someone else childcare. I charge a £1 per funded hour a child does with me this covers all trips , arts, crafts, baking, snacks etc. I only offer funding term time only and my normal hour rate charged for all extra hours etc. If a parent does not want to pay or can’t afford this charge they go else where.

Hmm. So if your girlfriend cannot go back to work because the price of childcare is too expensive you will sue for loss of earnings?

@Adampragnell
How can you sue? You get the terms of business from the nursery if you dont wish to pay say for the lunch hour between the am 3 hours of funding and the pm hours of funding you pick your child up and return them after lunch. If you dont want to pay for the actual food you supply your own. If you dont want your child to attend the pe/music/art session that is offered as an extra activity you decline them and your child doesn't get them. There is guidence given in additional charges including consumables and food if you dont pay you provide. The setting can choose which hours they offer funding you can choose to look elsewhere.