Nursery management: Editor's view
Karen Faux
Monday, September 12, 2011
Rising costs across the board this year have meant that many nurseries have had to be content to tread water rather than embark on growth. Even with a sound business plan and strong local demand, nurseries still face the problems of parents struggling with the price of childcare, drastic cuts to subsidised training and the ongoing shortfalls in funding for the free entitlement.
Like any other business, a nursery cannot afford to stand still. Whether it represents a sizeable group or a single-site operator, its ability to keep its spending under close scrutiny, identify new patterns of childcare use and retain high-quality staff are what helps to keep it afloat.
Encouragingly, managers testify that the current climate is throwing up new opportunities. Some nurseries are finding their local authority needs their support to plug gaps in children's centres, placing them in a more financially favourable position. They are developing a more community-led approach to marketing, and joining together with other nurseries in cluster groups to make staff training more affordable.
Staff are also benefiting from an emphasis on the value of retention. As one owner says, 'Recruitment is expensive in terms of time and money. It is not frivolous to spend on your staff - it is an investment.'
The sector's zest for the quality of its business remains unchanged by straitened times. The revised EYFS has sparked wide-ranging discussions around practice.
The case studies in this issue of Nursery Management show that businesses are still ambitious for growth. Their ability to develop a team and communicate unique selling points are contributing to the vitality of the sector as a whole.
