Opinion: Letters

I write in response to the news story 'Nurseries sound the alert on debtors' and the Editor's View in Nursery World 2 October 2008.

I was dismayed to read that nurseries in Liverpool have resorted to alerting each other to parents who leave owing fees. I've trained providers in other areas of the country who also feel this kind of action is justified. However, what must be highlighted is that sharing information in this way is illegal. It contravenes the Data Protection Act, and it is also morally wrong.

While I have sympathy for settings who are deliberately duped, creating a local blacklist of parents to avoid isn't the answer. To minimise the risk of bad debt, providers must insist on payment in advance, preferably by Direct Debit. Managers must be vigilant, checking that electronic transfers are received on time, and ready to take action immediately if not. Fee policies, giving the right to withdraw a child's place, should be thought through and clearly communicated in parents' terms and conditions. Staff need to be pro-active and can cover this policy when inducting new parents.

Liz Roberts is right that free entitlement makes matters worse. As well as funding rates being too low, what also concerns me is that providers who strictly adhere to the 'free at the point of entry' principle are specifically banned from taking a deposit from parents only accessing free sessions. This exposes them to an even greater risk, as without a deposit there's really no incentive for parents to honour start dates or notice periods. If funding can't be channelled direct to nurseries, perhaps Beverley Hughes could underwrite this particular risk and redress the balance for those willing to subsidise current childcare policy.

Derek Hayes, senior consultant/trainer, Childcare Consultancy

Letter of the Week wins £30 worth of books

PUBLIC BEHAVIOUR

I was interested to read Julian Grenier's 'To the point' on cultural differences in childrearing (11 September). I also think many British parents exclude their children from opportunities to be part of society from a young age, either because they choose not to control their behaviour adequately in public places, or because they do not believe that children can control their behaviour at all and keep them away from 'adult' places and events altogether.

I did silence each of my own four children in public places whenever necessary from a very young age, as well as ensuring that they sat still in restaurants, queued politely in shops and so on. Consequently, I have been able to trust my children to know how not to annoy other people in public and I have always been able to take them out with me rather than leave them behind. I am now confident that my teenagers can be trusted to go out alone and behave in a polite, sensible and mature manner.

I would be comfortable reminding other people's children about behaviour in a public place, if I did not feel that this was likely to be misinterpreted in this country. There was a time when most adults were prepared to take an interest in keeping all children safe and telling them when their behaviour was unacceptable, but times have changed here.

The time, patience, care and attention we give to our children at home and in their outings and activities is not diminished by insistence on certain standards in public situations.

Debbie Chalmers, Cambridge

BE MORE RESPONSIBLE

Nursery World's contribution to practitioners' understanding of the EYFS is valuable and informative. However, in the 18 September issue, on page 32, the article informing settings about their responsibilities for documentation fails to give the best possible advice on two counts:

1. The Welfare Requirements with regard to 'Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare' make a specific legal requirement to find out before a child is admitted who has parental responsibility and who has legal contact with the child, as well as information about health and dietary requirements. This is not mentioned in the main article. Parental responsibility is mentioned in passing in the case study from Charlie Caterpillar's Day Nursery.

2. The article also refers to a child's 'key worker' rather than the preferred term 'key person'.

Barbara Skilton, Birth to Three co-ordinator, early years and childcare service, Worcestershire County Council

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The Editor, Nursery World, 174 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP, letter.nw@haymarket.com, 020 8267 8402.