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Nurseries

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Original poster

Nursery charge during lockdown when you keep your baby at home

42 replies

Famoona · 17/02/2021 00:10

Hi, I have a situation that is a bit similar to some of the previous threads: what do you have to pay during lockdown? In my case, I have been keeping my baby at home during the peak covid period (Jan until now). I still pay the nursery in full with the idea that when things get better I can send her back anytime.
Today I called and ask if I can send my baby in from tomorrow, but the nursery said they need a week notice in order to keep the right ratio of staff - children. They had not mentioned this 1 week advance notice before and they do not agree to refund me the fee for this week. Does this make sense? Do you think this is still in line with gov guildline?

OP posts:
Tumbleweed101 · 17/02/2021 18:38

This would be normal as they will already have the shifts worked out for this week. We always ask for day swaps to be requested by the Friday in the week before so staff rotas can be adjusted if needed. If we have spaces we will allow an extra child at short notice but ratios for baby room are 1:3 so one baby over will need an extra staff member.

If they've had a lot of children off they may have staff on furlough that need to be arranged to return. They wouldn't be able to have staff in just in case a child turns up without notice.

Original poster
Famoona · 17/02/2021 21:39

I just think since I pay for full month the nursery should prepare the staff to assume that my baby will attend. And ok - if they dont have enough staff then at the very least they should refund or give us credit on the next month.

OP posts:
Lazypuppy · 18/02/2021 21:43

Of course you have to give them notice, you obviously told them you weren't sending your child in, so they have amended their staffing.

FuckyouBrennan · 18/02/2021 21:46

If you are choosing to keep your child home and they are open- you pay full fees.

If they are closed, or for bubble closures - most are offering a reduction. Our nursery does 20% fee.

noimnotdoingit · 18/02/2021 21:47

OP I agree with you. If parents are being charged full fees then nursery shouldn't be double dipping by claiming furlough for staff. So you're paying for an "on call" nursery place but you've not got that. I suspect if you point this out to them they'll manage to squeeze her in.

FuckyouBrennan · 18/02/2021 21:47

@Famoona yes, you need to give them more notice so they can staff the ratios accordingly. They can’t afford to pay staff to be there if they’re supernumerary

FuckyouBrennan · 18/02/2021 21:48

@noimnotdoingit it’s actually recommended by the government to early years settings that they furlough any staff not required for ratios.
It fits with the “go to work, only if you must”

They’re following guidance

FuckyouBrennan · 18/02/2021 21:49

@noimnotdoingit I’ll also add that LAs are checking this is being applied.

glassshoes · 18/02/2021 21:49

I think you are reasonable to expect a refund or other solution. It looks like the nursery are furloughing staff whilst also receiving full fees....

FuckyouBrennan · 18/02/2021 21:51

@glassshoes yes, you pay full fees if you are choosing not to send your child in when they’re open as usual? Another child could be using that place. If you don’t want to send your child in then give your notice to leave and let another child have the place.

FuckyouBrennan · 18/02/2021 21:51

Furloughing staff as per government guidance yes.

GrumpyHoonMain · 18/02/2021 21:54

@glassshoes

I think you are reasonable to expect a refund or other solution. It looks like the nursery are furloughing staff whilst also receiving full fees....
Yes, this. At my nursery and almost all the other local ones if you pay full fees then you can send your child in whenever you like. The ratios are worked out
cretelover · 18/02/2021 21:58

I thought you were going to ask if it was unreasonable to charge full fees during this lock down, I was going to say YABU. However totally not, I'd be pissed off too. I'd have thought they would have been able to fit you in somewhere, the place is blooming paid for! I can't say I'm surprised though. We've sent our DD in even though we didn't need to, just in case this happened and we needed it at short notice.

EasterIssland · 18/02/2021 21:58

I think I agree with others. It’s not so much they’ll be on furlough but their ratios have been adjusted as per the number of kids going. You’ve decided not to send your child hence why you still have to pay the fees.

MixedUpFiles · 18/02/2021 21:59

I do agree that if you are paying the full rate, you should be able to send in your child. You should get a discount if you have to give notice.

HauntedPencil · 18/02/2021 22:01

Then I think they should give you a discount for this week. As long as this wasn't clearly communicated to you.

KnowlWay · 18/02/2021 22:02

It depends if you’ve confirmed your child is not attending. What was discussed about when you would return?

BlueTimes · 18/02/2021 22:03

When you said your child wasn’t attending, did you specify for how long?

gigi556 · 18/02/2021 22:03

I agree with you OP. You've paid for the place so they should have the correct ratios in place as if your child was there. I'm not surprised this isn't the case though 🙄

Myshinynewname · 18/02/2021 22:08

YANBU OP, that's ridiculous! If you pay for the place every Friday it should be yours to use any Friday that you want to use it. If they don't have the place available for you then they shouldn't be charging you full price for it.

DeloresWw · 18/02/2021 22:21

What was going through your head when you thought 1 day would be enough notice???

Original poster
Famoona · 18/02/2021 22:21

Thanks everyone. @KnowlWay@BlueTimes I only mentioned on phone call to them I want to wait until the covid stats get better and likely to be mid-Feb (I wasnt sure myself either at the time and may be thats why they never took my words as official confirmation) but I really think they are trying to play smart here, I am quite disappointed as I think whoever take care of my baby we would have mutual trust, but it seems they try to get the best of the situation. I guess it’s hard to turn this around if we dont have any specific gov guidance in this situation..

OP posts:
Original poster
Famoona · 18/02/2021 22:24

Its also funny when in the past, I sometimes had urgent work to do and had to send her in for extra day (she’s only on 3 days a week) and they always able to make extra space for her and just charge me the extra days in the following month.. now when I paid in full and they refused almost instantly!

OP posts:
rattlemehearties · 18/02/2021 22:29

Its also funny when in the past, I sometimes had urgent work to do and had to send her in for extra day (she’s only on 3 days a week) and they always able to make extra space for her and just charge me the extra days in the following month..

Pre pandemic I assume? Nurseries have changed how they do things hugely since Covid. Surely you knew earlier than today that you wanted the baby in nursery tomorrow? Why not give them a week's notice?

katmarie · 18/02/2021 22:31

I'm not sure what you expect them to do. Our nursery does rotas on a weekly basis and ask for a weeks notice of any attendance changes. Its not just furlough that will affect staff numbers, holiday, sickness, the amount of hours staff members now have to spend on other stuff like cleaning will have an impact on staff rotas and ratios. I think expecting a few days notice is pretty reasonable, given that they absolutely have to stick to ratios, and they can't always magic up extra staff members at no notice.