At the end of Last week, the DfE posted an advert to its Facebook page with the title ‘Cheaper childcare’, claiming that ‘parents will save cash through new Government action to prevent overcharging’.
The advert refers to updated DfE guidance for local authorities, published on the same day (21 February) which re-emphasises that early years providers must ensure parents can take up a free funded place without needing to pay for extras. Sector organisations warned that the updated guidance threatens nurseries' survival.
The social media post has attracted more than 670 comments from the sector expressing their dissatisfaction at the advert, which they say not only refers to early education and care as ‘childcare’, but also fails to acknowledge that the funding settings receive to deliver the 15 and 30 hours continues to be insufficient.
One user commented, ‘Absolutely disgusting and clueless!
‘There will be no settings to access soon . There isn't any overcharging by settings, it's making ends meet because the Government can't pay the correct funding to cover a child’s place.’
Another said, ‘Cheaper childcare.... is that really going to promote outcomes for children? We are already struggling to find qualified staff and the ones we do have are underpaid and overworked. Environments will be run down, settings will have to cut costs elsewhere, such as in staff training,food, equipment, resources etc
‘The Government is failing our children.’
A further used responded, ‘What an absolutely disgusting marketing campaign! No thoughts or consideration for the hard working providers out there struggling to survive due to the under funding of these so called FREE hours! This won’t make more spaces available, it will reduce them as providers will simply withdraw the offer of them or throw the towel in altogether!’
The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) called the DfE social media post ‘misleading’ with its claim the new charging guidance will make childcare ‘cheaper’, it warned it could have the opposite effect.
It also argued that parents don’t want cheap childcare, but high-quality early education and care for their children.
A spokesperson for NDNA said, ‘The vast majority of early education and care providers are fair, open and transparent with parents about these charges. Without them, most nurseries will struggle to remain sustainable because the Government funding leaves 92 per cent of nurseries making a loss on each place. The charges are necessary for the high-quality provision which give our youngest children the best start in life.
‘With this approach and how it is being communicated - alongside the decision to not incorporate the National Insurance Contributions costs into the funding rates - we will see an exodus of providers. They will either offer fewer funded places or be forced to close. This will make it harder for parents to access places and these places could be more expensive, not cheaper.’
