Nursery World - Charge for extras to make 30 hours viable, Minister tells nurseries

Early years minister Caroline Dinenage has told private nursery owners that they must charge parents for additional services if their viability is threatened by 30 hours funding rates that are less than the fees they charge outside the free entitlement.

In a recent meeting with three day nursery owners from north Lincolnshire, Ms Dinenage argued that funding rates had been increased. However, she responded to their claims that they could not cover their outgoings once hours rose to 30 a week by telling them to charge for extra services.

The nursery owners – Michelle Drury of I Learn Education, Julie Carling of Little Tots and Julie Fowler of Peekaboo – told Ms Dinenage that the word ‘free’ caused confusion and controversy. ‘By the minister’s own admission, early years providers must charge for additional services to remain viable, so this is not “free” to parents,’ said Ms Drury. ‘Although she agreed that this caused confusion, she said that the Government would not remove the word “free”.’

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