Nursery World - Expansion forces rise in fees

Private day nurseries in England will have to increase their fees to fund the salary increases needed to recruit and retain staff. The warning was made last week by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), which said the rapid expansion of the childcare sector had meant that day nurseries were fighting over newly qualified nursery nurses, who were often choosing the public sector because of its higher salaries.

The warning was made last week by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), which said the rapid expansion of the childcare sector had meant that day nurseries were fighting over newly qualified nursery nurses, who were often choosing the public sector because of its higher salaries.

This fear has been echoed in Scotland, where nursery nurse members of the public sector union Unison have been holding out for a large pay rise.

Patricia McGinty, director of Bishopbriggs Childcare Centre in Edinburgh, said, 'We want to attract the best staff - not just those who cannot get jobs in the public sector. We could increase parents' fees, but that is a last resort.'

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