Almost half of working parents ‘completely unaware’ of childcare vouchers

October 7th, 2011
Childcare Vouchers

Parents are not making the most of their income by failing to claim childcare vouchers

Working parents are unaware of the financial benefits that could be available to them through their employer, according to a survey commissioned by Co-Operative Employee Benefits.

The survey, which was carried out to highlight issues facing working mothers and fathers when making childcare arrangements, found 45% of the 2,000 parents polled were “completely unaware” of childcare vouchers and how they could save them money.

The survey also showed 33% of parents polled were not even offered childcare vouchers by their employer; if they were, then 22% said that they would definitely take up the scheme.
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What are the essential things you should do during a show round?

September 29th, 2011

The journey through the nursery should be both encouraging and impressive for the parent(s), to portray a friendly, lasting environment. In order to create a safe and welcoming atmosphere in your setting, what essential things do you implement to ensure a successful show round?

Perhaps the most essential part of a successful show round is having staff properly trained. Are specific staff responsible for show rounds, having a particular procedure that they must follow?

Do you have an open door policy to allow parents to look around at short notice, or do you book a small group to take around all at once? What’s the strangest or funniest thing you’ve ever been asked by a parent? Share your experiences of what has worked best in your setting below.

Resource: ‘Handling telephone queries from prospective parents’

Have you been fairly marked by Ofsted?

September 19th, 2011

Ofsted inspections are often the most stressful part of a nursery manager’s job. Your Ofsted rating can influence the reputation and performance of your setting, therefore making it imperative that you receive a rating that best reflects your service.

Although there is a code of conduct that inspectors must follow, the experience from Ofsted inspections can differ due to various factors. All inspections should be equally treated, but have you ever felt that you were unfairly graded for an Ofsted inspection? If so what for? And is there a positive approach you have tried to successfully appeal and get your results changed?

Resource: Recently been mistreated by Ofsted? You can raise a complaint against them here.

Please leave your experiences and suggestions below to join in with the discussion…

Can running a nursery be financially rewarding?

September 5th, 2011

Last month, Laing and Buisson’s report on the childcare sector suggested that nurseries were simply ‘ticking along’ post-recession, and that cuts to public spending threaten to decrease demand in the coming year.

This news is reflected in the fact that over 500 nurseries were forced to close last year, with many others struggling financially.

As a nursery owner, or manager, do you feel that running a nursery can still be financially rewarding? Is it worth the everyday challenges or are there too many restrictions in place to allow a nursery to be profitable?

Is there any practical advice that has worked well for your business that you could share with others? What would you say to those thinking of starting a nursery business? Does the love of providing quality care outweigh the financial risk involved?

Please leave your experiences and suggestions below to join in with the discussion…

New improved Customer Support Desk for Abacus users

August 12th, 2011

Following feedback from Abacus users, Parenta have invested in a much improved Customer Support Desk. This new service offers a wide range of enhancements to our already award-winning service.

1. We commit to providing a written response to each question you ask through the helpdesk, ensuring that the answer is clear and enabling you to refer back to it at any time. Where appropriate, we will also provide a link to the appropriate page in the Abacus Help Manual. The existing 1 working hour response time remains.

2. You will be able to see any query asked by another member of your team, enabling you to see the instructions they have been given, and ensuring that we only have to answer a question once for your organisation.

3. If you have a new idea, or a suggestion for improvement, you can submit it in writing and receive regular updates on its progress. Some ideas may be accepted, or rejected, immediately, and we will advise you accordingly. Others may be put into a public forum for other Abacus users to comment and share their feelings before a decision is made on development.

4. You now have the opportunity to support or reject the ideas put forward by other users, and ensure that your voice is heard before any development takes place.

5. If we have a known issue with Abacus (it happens), we will publicise it in the support desk and provide feedback on the progress being made to resolve it.

6. Every time we provide any help through the Support Desk, you will be offered the chance to rate the service you have received, enabling us to identify and improve any time we let you down!

Customers will receive their login details via their primary Abacus email account. If you have not received your email yet, please request one within your Abacus system via the Communication section.

Parents ‘should follow five-step approach’

August 8th, 2011
Motherly activities with children

Parents should read to their children for 15 minutes each day

Parents should adopt a “five-a-day” approach, with daily activities to help children reach their full potential, a report has said.

Its steps include reading to their child, praising them and talking to them with the television switched off.

The think tank CentreForum says the government should start a national campaign promoting better parenting.

It said there was “dramatic” evidence that providing children with quality care in their early years was crucial.

The report suggests the government should adopt a model similar to the five-a-day scheme which encourages people to eat fruit and vegetables, to give parents manageable steps.
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