Should mums on benefit have to pay for nursery hours

[pinkfluffs]

Hi I have a 3 year old she is supposedly be getting her free 15 hours a week at nursery tower she's only getting 12.1 hours a week that's 2 and 30 mins at nursery everyday ! I feel as if she don't get enough play time shall I pay the extra 70 a month for her to have more hours shall I pay the 70 £ or let her have the free 12 hours a week ? I don't really have the £70 to spare What would you do ?

My eldest duaghter's hours were 8.30-11.30 and often I didn't take her in until 9am so she was only getting 2 and a half hours a day. I wouldn't go paying all that extra just for the sake of half an hour a day.

The nurseries round here have started taking children from 2 if the parents are on benefits. I personally find it very unfair on working parents who have to pay. I'm on benefits and will not be accepting this offer when my daughter turns 2. I have thought about it as she doesn't spend much time around children her age except from at her toddler group but it just doesn't sit right with me. I am going to college after
the Summer and will possibly accept a place for her then (still undecided on this or full time childminder) if it's still be offered but until then I just feel guilty taking a free nursery place when there are working parents who are struggling to pay for child care. Maybe I'm being stupid, I don't know (I am a lone parent to two children have no help other than my parents who help out when they can so appreciate the break whenever I get it).

I have a 3 year old she is supposedly be getting her free 15 hours a week at nursery tower she's only getting 12.1 hours a week that's 2 and 30 mins at nursery everyday ! I feel as if she don't get enough play time shall I pay the extra 70 a month for her to have more hours shall I pay the 70 £ or let her have the free 12 hours a week

what does benefits have to do with anything?
2 and a half hours a day is not 12.1 hours, but i think thats a typo,
why do you have to pay to get the other 30 mins a day? that makes no sense?

do you need her to be in nursery every day? are you working at all?

Kids only need ( for their benefit) to be at a nursery for interaction with other kids ( social education),.... If the nipper is busting shapes a few hours day - I am sure that is enough. I remember being a kid and I couldn't wait or was so happy too see my mother. She would take me home and make me a schools boy lunch . ( I think she called it that- to get me a. To Eat vegetables b. To make me feel great about play school )

Why is she not getting the full 15 hours?

My kids only went for the 12 hours. And I did work a couple of hours a week. Unless you are working and using it for childcare 12 hours is plenty.
It wont be long and she will be at school enjoy the time you have with her.

It's 15 hours per week for 38 weeks a year, so her yearly entitlement is 570 hours, if that makes sense. A lot of nurseries offer the free hours over more weeks, so maybe that's the case here- op's dd gets to go for 48 weeks of the year for 12 hours a week. It's totally normal.

Dd2 did 3 hours and we paid for the extra 30 mins each day because the govt only funded 12.5 hours then. dd1 did 2.5 hours x 4 days a week through age 5 (overseas then) and was fine. If you aren't working why does it matter?

If I was that worried about the extra hours I would make up for it in the week. I would take her to toddler groups, play dates, soft play centres etc.

Just go to playgroups with her and do things together at home.

When I've taken extra hours for my children in addition to the funded ones, Tax Credits reimburse 70% of the cost. Is this an option?

I wouldn't be paying an extra £70 a month for an extra half an hour a day if I didn't need the child looked after during that time. Nursery time is good for both the child and parent but I don't think an extra half hour a day is of particular benefit in comparison with what you could do for yourself and your child with the extra £70 per month.

If it helps I run a pre school setting and our sessions are only 3 hours long so your daughter would only be missing half an hour with us. You would be amazed how much playing and learning they get done during this time...our routine for reference...

9.00 - come in to free play, an adult also leads a focussed activity e.g. a craft that they can choose to do or not.
10.00 - tidy up
10.10 - circle time - songs, a story, days of the week, colours etc.
10.25 - wash hands
10.30 - snack time
10.45 - choice of inside or outside play.
11.00 - children are taken aside by an adult for small group or individual work according to their needs while the others free play.
12.00 - home time.

Some children do all day so we have a 'soft' finish (we don't want to stop the play for everyone). We do run a focussed activity at 12.30 but if your daughter would always miss it we would love it's time so she got to join in.

You are probably only getting 12 hours because your funding is stretched over the whole year. It would be 15 hours if your daughter was at a term time only setting. (Guessing).

*move it's time. We do love it but that's not my point.

@pinkfluffs

I mean it's entirely up to you isn't it? Would you rather she have the time at nursery, or you use the money for something else?

I would probably top it up to 15 hours but me saying that doesn't really mean anything because my child free time is "worth" £70 to me, whereas yours might not be?

It's hard for me to say for sure as I have never stayed at home with a child that old. So my opinion is completely irrelevant?!

Both mine went for 2.5hrs x 5 days. Was plenty for them

Free entitlement is 15 hours for 38 weeks a year so 570 hours a year which can be spread over the opening weeks of a setting. Count up the weeks they are open and multiply by the hours a week if this is 570 you are getting the same as a child in school nursery.
Educationally you don't need to pay for more. Benefits are irrelevant if you are short of money its more important to pay your bills.

yes. I work my arse of day in day out and can only just afford child care. So why should someone get more free when they don’t work?