At the end of Last week, the DfE posted an advert to its Facebook page with the title ‘Cheaper childcare’, claiming that ‘parents will save cash through new Government action to prevent overcharging’.
The advert refers to updated DfE guidance for local authorities, published on the same day (21 February) which re-emphasises that early years providers must ensure parents can take up a free funded place without needing to pay for extras. Sector organisations warned that the updated guidance threatens nurseries' survival.
The social media post has attracted more than 670 comments from the sector expressing their dissatisfaction at the advert, which they say not only refers to early education and care as ‘childcare’, but also fails to acknowledge that the funding settings receive to deliver the 15 and 30 hours continues to be insufficient.
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