CEY1341

Written evidence by Chantreyland Children’s Nurseries

Childcare Entitlements

Even parents educated to graduate level have difficulty in understanding the controls and support around childcare. Our company’s administration staff spends considerable time with families to guide them through the maze of rules and help that could be available in the early years. There is a substantial cost to the organisations for this awareness assistance.

The existing entitlements do little to incentivise parents to return to the workforce. The existing entitlements are regarded as a reduction in childcare fees for a few hours. Our actual childcare hourly costs are in the order of £8.00 +. A worker on £11.00 per hour after tax financially will be no better for the work. Families with under 3 year olds only have TFC. The additional costs to childcare employers from government, utilities, goods and services are forcing childcare employers increase nursery fees. Childcare employers have a duty to their staff to operate at a profit and survive for the continuity of service to the children.

We don’t have the skills to advise on other welfare systems however all benefits for care should be paid directly to the carer.

Early Years Provision

This organisation and its predecessor has in the past 36 years always supported the workforce by the ‘apprenticeship route’ BTechs or Early Years Educator etc. There are increasing difficulties with apprenticeships as the frameworks and associated rules change frequently as the DfE and Ministers interfere. The GCSE maths ruling was a complete stopper on apprentice recruitment. The proposed T Level school proposal will screw up recruitment and result in young people unfit for responsibility in the workplace but command pay of qualified apprentices. The consequences will add to operational costs for families.

Retention & recruitment of staff is increasingly difficult at all levels. The workforce is under paid at all levels because the resources are not available to pay for the responsibility staff carry. A supermarket worker is paid more than a childcare worker without the spectra of Ofsted visiting to trick & find fault with your knowledge or work. Young employees understand Ofsted officers will single out a young worker and ask ‘trick’ questions to expose gaps in knowledge or understanding. Without articulating their anguish all staff will ask themselves ‘why am I doing this for so little recognition’.

Schools, teachers and the education system are failing the young, by the absence of career advice, school based work experience and promoting T Level subjects in house, restricting a wider experience of life. 

January 2023