Letters

I am very concerned about the flexible threeto five-year-old funding andthe hourly rate that Doncaster Council gave to day nurseries in2011/2012. The reasons are stated below:

- The hourly rate is less than the hourly rate we charge.

- The hourly rate did not increase from 2010/2011 to 2011/2012.

- All our costs have increased - especially wages and utilities.

- Doncaster Council gives an hourly rate of 3.42 per hour for thefirst 12.5 hours and 5.92 for the additional 2.5 hours; thisgives an average hourly rate of 3.84.

- If the 15 hours is split between two providers, nobody gets theadditional funding!

- North Lincolnshire gives our other nursery a rate of 4.50 forthe full 15 hours (they have a base rate of 3.80 per hour).

- Both nurseries have a good Ofsted rating, offer 15 hours of flexiblefree funding and employ a member of staff with Early Years ProfessionalStatus.

We find that more and more parents are just accessing the free flexiblefunding, which makes it difficult to be sustainable when the fundingfrom Doncaster Council does not meet our charges. Also, it presentsstaffing issues.

For example, if we had 20 children accessing the nursery term-time only,there would be no hours for some staff during the school holidays. Iknow the answer would be to employ staff on a term-time only basis, butthat is not always possible.

The term times are not full weeks, which presents additional problems.The spring term was 11.5, weeks so we received 172.5 hours for a childwho did 15 hours a week. However, if a child does five hours on aWednesday, Thursday and Friday, this is 180 hours funding.

We are trying to run a high quality day nursery and hope the Councilwill look closely at the funding it gives to nurseries if they wish usto be sustainable, especially as Doncaster is one of the most deprivedareas in the UK. I would have thought keeping nurseries open is theirnumber one priority.

Carol Cooper, Coneygarth Farm Day Nursery, Haxey and Flying Start DayNursery, Doncaster

Our star letter wins 30 worth of books

THUMBS UP FOR WEEKEND OPENING

I write regarding the decision by Tiny Tots Nursery in Chingford to openon Saturday, providing childcare for the growing number of parentsworking shifts and at weekends. Finding childcare is one of the biggestchallenges facing parents who work outside regular office hours,including many key workers such as nurses and police officers. AsDaycare Trust's recent Childcare Cost Survey revealed, only 12 per centof local authorities in England have enough childcare for families whereparents work atypical hours; the figure in Scotland and Wales is evenlower.

This is not only a potential opportunity for providers, but forhard-pressed families. Providing flexible, affordable childcare canenable employment which keeps them out of poverty.

Anand Shukla, chief executive, Daycare Trust

DADDY DAYCARE IS A TURN-OFF FOR ALL

I watched with horror the first of three episodes of 'Daddy Daycare'(Chanel 4) and wonder how many fellow professionals also foundthemselves watching through their fingers.

I manage a training company that specialises in early years training andwe are currently trying to get our advertising strategy right to attractmore men into childcare. I was so disappointed with the attitudeportrayed by the female nursery staff and feel it painted a verynegative picture of what men can expect if they go to work in thesector. The attitude of the deputy manager was sexist and on more thanone occasion she and others said that childcare was for women and menwere not capable.

Nursery work is all about team work. It is about supporting each otherand working together to provide a safe, stimulating environment for thechildren, not leaving men or women to struggle alone.

I was surprised to read in Nursery World (20 February) that thePre-School Learning Alliance had advised makers of the programme onaspects relating to the welfare requirements. My question would be:where in the welfare requirements would it be appropriate for a newmember of staff to carry out such an intimate and personal task aschanging a child's nappy, without the knowledge of the child's needs, orindeed how to change a nappy appropriately?

We need forward-thinking male role models in the sector and thosewishing to see childcare recognised as a valued profession should belooking to promote this positively.

Judith Saxon, Eden Training, Leigh-on-Sea

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