VOLUNTARY CHILDCARE
Committee-run groups, like ours, initially were developed by parents for parents, but have embraced change and taken on board all the Government initiatives, becoming qualified professionals in well structured and managed learning environments.
We provide effective services at a fraction of the cost of other types of provision by using community facilities. We have also embraced the EYFS and the drive to raise standards within the sector.
Yet the voluntary sector is being squeezed out. We are told we are working towards a 'level playing field' with all sectors being funded in the same way, but from our perspective it is still uneven. Schools are pushing us out of the sector, and at what cost? I have listened to head teachers say they cannot afford to run the provision with reduced funding. So are schools using other funds that should be aimed at the school-aged children to sustain their nurseries? And are there voluntary-run groups in the area that are already providing this service? Sometimes the answer is yes.
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