Day nursery increases fees significantly once children receive the free grant.

[KT12]

Does anyone know whether there are guidelines on how day nurseries should charge fees for those children receiving the education grant?

We have recently moved into a new area and DD attends a day nursery for 3 full days a week. She is eligible for the 5 free sessions per week. At her previous nursery,the grant was simply deducted from the day rate and we paid the difference.

At the new nursery the day rate for children not receiving the free entitlement is £38.50. For those of us receiving the free sessions, they subtract the sessions and then charge £5.00 per hour for ALL additional hours plus £1.50 per day for lunch. This means that parents are charged £51.50 per day prior to the grant being subtracted.

It would seem that the nursery owners pocket a significant amount of the free grant rather then the parent benefiting.

Is this acceptable or even allowed? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I would advise speaking to your county council department that deals with the early years education grant. I'm sure they will confirm that this is absolutely not allowed, as the 15 hours weekly entitlement must be accessible completely free of charge, ie a top-up charge is not allowed.

This is how it is in Devon, and I'm sure elsewhere on here somebody has confirmed that it is nationwide, but do check that out before you go in all guns blazing!

I don't really see how they can charge more per hour for children who receive grant. I certainly hope not anyway.

Not sure about the legalities etc of it but my DS's nursery did exactly the same - although not by as much. Iirc, the hourly rate was £32 and it increased to £38 per hour once my DS1 qualified for the free sessions. They provided an explanation that it cost more for pre-schoolers as they needed more equipment, they had to employ an early years specialist (who actually lasted a month and has never been replaced ) amongst other things.

I wasn't particularly happy but, like you, wasn't sure what I could do so did nothing as DS1 had been there since he was 6 months and DS2 had just started so I didn't want to disrupt them...besides, I needed the childcare and there is only one other nursery in the area which is completely booked up for at least 12 months!! Kind of got me over a barrel really.

At my nursery the day rate is £28.00 but for extra hours we charge £3.00 so if you were putting your child in 8am - 1pm we'd take your 3 hours off and charge you 2 extra hours?

But we offer flexible entitlement so you could have 5 hours over three days if you so wished.

Crikey, hope our nursery don't do that! My dd gets the funding from September.

Thta doesn't sound right at all. At my children's nursery, not only does my dd receive the grant, she also had a lower day rate (before the grant was deducted)once she turned 3. The staff: children ratios are higher once your children are older so I don;t see how they can justify charging you more.

Most nurseries charge less, not more, the older the children get. I would look into the legalities with your council. I'd be livid if that happened to me!

Thanks so much for all the replies. I have written to the Local Authority and await their response. I will let you know what they say.

If there are any Day nursery managers or owners on here, I'd be grateful for your views on this.

Will the place be all year round or just term time? Could that account for the extra hourly charge? The vouchers are just for term time but most nursery places are year round. The lunch thing is pretty standard.

Thanks to a mumsnetter pointing me in the direction of the Code of Practice for the Free Nursery Entitlement which clearly states that children's care can not be charged at a higher rate if they receive the free entitlement, this issue is now resolved and the nursery have adjusted how they charge for additional hours. Such a relief.

I received very little support from the Local Authority. Their Guidance does not include par 13.5 of the National Code. I have pointed this out to them.

I am having the same problem, my son's nursery were not deducting the allowance off each month and gave me a cheque back - one term I got over £300.00 back. Now they have decided to do by deducting from the bill, it has gone from £789 per month to £710. Surely that is not right

Suzy, how much does your nursery charge? Seems frightfully expensive! Currently nurseries receive £9.35 per 2.5 hr session. If your DS attends for three or more days then they should essentially 'subtract' £46.75 per week he attends during tern time from their regular fees.

From Sep it all changes - all children get 15 hours free per week, some of which can be taken during holidays but for a max of 38 weeks. The hours have to be spilt across at least three days So we have opted for three morning sessions free across three days (ie 5 hours per day) and will then pay the afternoon rate.

I will try and find the National Code of Practice link for you - which I believe becomes statutory in Sep 10. Good luck

www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/resources-and-practice/IG00689/