30 Hours
‘Free’ childcare – at what cost to providers?
Spokesperson Jo Morris from campaign group ‘Champagne Nurseries on Lemonade Funding’ gives her overview of the Government’s ‘free’ childcare scheme and its alarming effect on the sector to date: We are now into the third term since the...
Tax-Free Childcare
Press release Tax-Free Childcare is a new government scheme to help parents with the cost of childcare; allowing parents to work, or work more, if they want to. Parents can apply for Tax-Free Childcare through the childcare service – a new...
Open letter to Suffolk MP who refuses to engage with childcare providers
A Suffolk MP has angered the childcare sector by sending a letter advising a parent that 30 hours of childcare are split into 15 hours of early education and 15 hours of ‘childcare without a specific educational focus’. Thérèse Coffey then...
CNLF open letter to Robert Goodwill
Dear Mr Goodwill, Last Thursday (31st August) you appeared on Good Morning Britain and told Eamonn Holmes that when it comes to making the 30-hour policy work, ''It's up to the industry to step up to the mark''. You went on to justify this...
Join the CNLF online flash mob to stand up for the early years sector
Parenta are supporting the Champagne Nurseries Lemonade Funding (CNLF) campaign to remove the word 'FREE' from legislation relating to early years funding. What better way to do this than an online flash mob? CNLF are urging the Government to...
30 hours leaving parents and nurseries ‘out of pocket’
Due to the rising costs of delivering the Government’s flagship childcare policy, 10 day nurseries in Lincolnshire plan to charge parents more and one nursery has already had to close. The 30-hour offer will be rolled out in September, where...
Nurseries told to do parents’ ironing and use volunteers to remain sustainable
Nurseries that are struggling to remain sustainable have been told to be ‘more creative’ with making money. The suggestions included taking in and doing parents’ ironing, seeking donations and taking on volunteers. A thread on the Champagne...
30 hours funded childcare – the view from the other side
With the full roll-out of the 30 hours funded childcare offer just weeks away, providers are still trying to work out how to offer it and remain viable, or deciding not to offer it at all. The difficulties this manifesto pledge is causing...
30-hour offer is already leading to nursery closures, warns sector
The new flagship childcare scheme led by the Government is already causing nursery closures across the country, with sector leaders warning that many more will close. From September, parents who earn less that £100,000 per year each will be able...
Local MP visits nursery to discuss 30-hours funded childcare
Press release Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North, has visited the Tops Day Nursery at Lakeside Business Park to hear about plans to provide extra childcare places to meet the new demand for the “30-hours funded childcare to 3 and...
Settings battle to remain sustainable as the 30-hour roll-out draws closer
We are fast approaching September and the full roll-out of the 30 hour ‘free’ childcare offer for eligible families. The manifesto pledge has caused many difficulties for providers; Brexit and the recent Purdah and General Election have delayed...
30-hour childcare offer fails to target poorer families, says expert
The government’s 30-hour 'free’ childcare offer has been criticised by a leading global education expert for failing to target poorer families. Andreas Schleicher, education director for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development...
Survey reveals shortfall in 30 hours funding for childminders
A survey of 1,523 childminders, which was carried out by the Professional Association of Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), has highlighted a significant shortfall in funding for childminders offering 30 hours ‘free’ childcare. From the...
Government promise to parents on 30 ‘free’ hours childcare in danger
Press release: One in five full daycare nurseries don’t plan to deliver the Government’s 30 “free” hours, leaving 50,000* children without places, says National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA). This equates to the number of pre-school three and...
Further setbacks for the Government’s 30-hour offer
1 in 5 providers who are currently offering the 15 hours of free entitlement say they won’t be offering the full 30 hours when the scheme starts in September. Official data has shown that 44,250 providers plan to offer the full 30 hours,...
Uncertainty over 30 hours childcare for councils
A survey has suggested that more than half of councils are unsure whether there will be sufficient childcare available when the 30-hour offer is rolled out in September. Under the Government’s plans, three- and four-year-olds of working parents...
Plan and prepare for the 30-hour offer
From September, three- and four-year-olds of working parents in England will be eligible for 30 hours free childcare in term time. In addition to this, local authorities will commence the new funding rates under the Early Years National Funding...