Letters

I read with hope Sarah Teather's article confirming that the higher rate of funding made available for two-year-olds, compared with three- and four-year-olds, is to 'reflect the higher ratio requirements for this age group' (Opinion, 24 March).

Most people in the childcare sector are aware that childminders, under the EYFS, are required to work at an even higher ratio of 1:3, across the pre-school age range.

Many, however, remain unaware that currently accredited childminders who draw funding for the Nursery Education Entitlement are not paid at a rate to reflect this ratio, except when accessing funding for two-year-olds. I have worked hard with my local authority to contribute to the creation of a fair and workable single funding formula, but despite my efforts, this point about ratios has been discounted and ignored.

I was grateful for the clarification in last week's article. I duly contacted the LA funding manager to highlight the statement, with renewed hope that now this anomaly and discriminatory practice might be rectified. But I was told that this made no difference and there were no plans to change how the funding is allocated.

We are constantly reassured that central and local government are concerned about childcare sufficiency and affordability, parental choice and flexibility, and there is provision under the Childcare Act of 2006 to address such issues.The Code of Practice is also supposed to guide all who are involved in funding and delivering the entitlement.

Yes, the opportunity for childminders to be part of providing funded places is there on paper (if an accredited network is available), but by doing so under both the present rates of funding and the imminent single funding formula, childminders are doing so at considerable personal loss. Under the code of practice, funded provision must be free to parents at the point of delivery - fees cannot be topped up. Yet funding for three- and four-year-olds is well below my current hourly rate, with no opportunity to offset costs against larger numbers of children on roll.

The code also requires that 'local authorities should fund both maintained and PVI sector providers delivering the free entitlement fairly, transparently and equitably'. Why is the higher ratio requirement not being recognised for this particular group of providers?

Should this be addressed in the imminent revised Code of Practice? If not, how can the practice of childminders having to absorb such losses in income be condoned? Especially when, in reality, the majority are already working for considerably less than the minimum wage anyway?

Janet Glew, registered childminder, Newport, Shropshire

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RATIOS AND MINDERS

I am writing from what feels like a very remote and floating corner of the early years workforce, the registered childminders' island! I hope someone can hear me!

I totally agree with providers' concerns about the free entitlement and sustainability of their business. Could someone explain why there are no concerns reported about childminders who must be feeling equally worried about the viability of their small businesses?

All registered childminders can only care for three children under five, one of them a baby. If they have two children to whom they pass the free entitlement, this is more than a 50 per cent loss of income.

If we are to reflect fairly on the two-tier system that will result if providers choose to come out of the free entitlement scheme, then we must look closely at the unfair system that already exists within the childminding workforce.

Only a handful of childminders offer the free entitlement because they belong to a network, while thousands not in a network are delivering the EYFS. How many children in childminding are already denied the opportunity of equality?

While we fight for high quality education and childcare for all children, should we not start by ensuring our house is in order and equally includes all those that inhabit it?

Simona McKenzie, registered childminder, Twickenham

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