Nursery World - Voucher firms 'can do better'

Just under 40 per cent of childcare providers do not think that childcare voucher provider companies communicate well with them, according to findings from a consultation on industry-wide standards for childcare voucher companies, published last week.

However, vouchers were viewed as an 'extremely valuable' way ofproviding income for nurseries.

Sixty-one per cent of respondents were 'satisfied' or 'extremelysatisfied' with the service provided by their voucher provider. Thesurvey also found that 75 per cent of respondents supported the use ofelectronic payments to improve administration of vouchers.

The consultation was held to gather views from childcare organisations,nurseries, employers and parents on how to improve the way childcarevoucher businesses operate. It will be used to draw up guidelines for avoluntary code of practice for companies. It will be launched in theautumn with an association to oversee it.

Speaking on behalf of the voucher companies, Simon Moore, managingdirector of Computershare Voucher Services (previously known as BusyBees Childcare Vouchers), said, 'All the companies involved in thisprocess are keen to ensure high standards are consistently applied. Wehave a common interest in promoting excellence, and are pleased thatthis consultation demonstrated that childcare providers, parents andemployers value the scheme. We look forward to continuing to work on thenew code.'

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