Working parents of children aged nine months to two years will become eligible for 30 hours of state-funded childcare from September, but providers said they are struggling to provide places due to costs that are outpacing available funding.
But many nurseries have warned that they are planning to increase so-called “top-up fees” for hours that fall outside the entitlement as well as extra charges for meals, snacks, sun cream, nappies or trips, the Early Years Alliance said.
An annual survey by children’s charity Coram found that annual nursery costs for a child under two will have fallen for the first time in 15 years once the 30-hour roll-out in England is taken into account.
A full-time nursery place for a child under two costs an average of £238.95 per week, down by 22 per cent during the same period, according to the charity.
“The more funded hours that are provided to parents, the bigger the shortfall, and therefore all those additional charges that are voluntary have to be revisited,” he said.
Nurseries face increases to employers’ national insurance contributions in April, which are not being covered by public funding, he said.
Last month, the Department for Education issued updated guidance to nurseries that payment for extra charges must be voluntary and not a mandatory condition to access a funded childcare place.
Top-up fees ‘create two-tier system for nursery care’
square DR RUPY AUJLA
I've worked in A&E - but raising a newborn baby is even harder
Read More“It is the very children that the Government are arguing that they want to support – the most socially deprived, economically deprived children – that are likely to be further marginalised because you will have more closures in areas of deprivation because parents can’t pay for the extras that cross-subsidise the shortfall in funding,” he added.
Fees for hours outside the Government-funded provision have already been rising as nurseries seek to cover growing costs.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Giving every child the best start in life is central to our mission to break the unfair link between background and success, and through our Plan for Change, we’ll get thousands more children school-ready by age five.
“On top of this, we have recently announced details of a targeted £75 million grant to support the increase to 30 government-funded hours from September, alongside our strengthened guidance to make sure that parents do not face unfair charges to access a place.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Nurseries raising price of meals and nappies to claw back cost of ‘free’ childcare )
Also on site :