Editor's view

The current climate is not proving too comfortable for the private nursery sector. A recent survey has shown occupancy in nurseries continuing to fall, with dangerously low levels in some parts of the country. Fees are having to rise to meet the cost of this month's increase in the National Minimum Wage, with another hike planned for next year (see Management, pages 26-27), and paying them will be beyond some parents' means. Added to this is the continued lack of a level playing field with the state sector in terms of business rates, VAT and so on, along with some...