The local authority, which is looking to save up to £78m over the next three years, has published plans to increase the charges for nursery places at maintained settings from £175 to £250 per week for under-twos, from £175 to £225 per week for children aged between two and three, and from £175 to £205 per week for children aged over three.
The local authority says that even with the increased charges, the income from fees will not be enough to cover the cost of provision and it is looking for ways that it can provide childcare at a lower cost.
In papers published for its Public Accounts Committee, the local authority says that its key objective is to stop being a direct provider of childcare.
Lewisham is to close one maintained setting, the 100-place Amersham Early Years Centre, in August, and is proposing a third party takeover of childcare at three other early years centres.
A letter has been sent out to all parents of children who use the settings and the local authority has asked for feedback from parents by 16 February.
If the plans are approved, the new fee structure will come into force from April.
One parent from Lewisham wrote on the netmums parenting website, 'I will need to find an additional £200 a month for my childcare, and some people need to find an additional £75 a week! This is disgusting, especially given the fact that they have only given us two months notice. The council has asked for feedback but the officer in charge is on leave until two days before the proposal goes to the Mayor of Lewisham for his decision!'
An online petition against the proposed increased has been set up on the Lewisham council website.
