On Sunday The Observer said that the newspaper had seen a letter which assured nurseries that the Conservatives would allow providers to charge ‘supplementary fees’, at least temporarily.
Hitting back at the Tory plan, Prime Minister Gordon Brown told Labour Party members at Westminster Academy at the weekend, ‘The very reason we created Sure Start, the very reason we back free nursery places, the very reason we have fought so hard to let hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty is because it is unfair for a child’s birth to be its destiny, unfair that the wealth of your parents should determine the end of your story.’
A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said, ‘We don't support charging top-up fees for nurseries. We will protect existing childcare support arrangements until the nation’s finances can support a longer term solution: a move to 20 hours free childcare for every child, from the age of 18 months.’
The National Day Nurseries Association said under-funding was a critical problem affecting nurseries.
Chief executive Purnima Tanuku said, ‘Nobody can argue that in principle the free entitlement is a fantastic benefit for families, and enables children from less wealthy backgrounds to experience the huge range of positives that come from early education. However, nurseries simply cannot be expected to subsidise the cost of these places when they should be free to the parent and the provider. Any political party will need to seriously look at resolving these issues, with a solution that ensures that providing sessions does not damage a nursery, but equally does not create a barrier to take-up for parents whose children are gaining so much from the free entitlement.’
Dawn Nasser, who runs Rose House Montessori and is secretary of the Save our Nurseries campaign, said the Code of Practice should be suspended.
She told Nursery World, ‘We are not wanting to charge a top-up. We are wanting to re-coup the shortfall, because the free entitlement does not cover our costs. We want to remain financially viable and not have to close.’
She pointed out that state nurseries and nursery schools were having problems with their funding too.
‘The Government needs to realise that their policy isn’t working. Most providers have been charging a top-up. No-one has been implementing the 2006 Code of Practice as stringently as we will have to from September.’
She added, ‘The two-tier system is going happen whatever, especially if provisions opt out. At least with being able to charge for the shortfall. there would be a closer move to the level playing field, whereas by opting out, a real two-tier system occurs.’
