September complete mag

Childcare
news & views
Here is a recap of key news stories from the past month!
CMA issues open letter to the
early years sector
In response to alleged unfair practices
caused by Covid-19 disruptions, the
Competition and Markets Authority
(CMA) published an open letter to the
early years sector, on the subject of
dealing with parents (consumers) during
the pandemic.
The guidance has been released so
that childcare providers understand
their obligations, under common law,
towards parents.
In summary, charging parents
cancellation fees, retainers and usual
fees during lockdown when nurseries
were unable to open, are some of the
areas addressed in the letter; and in
conclusion, the CMA has decided not to
take any enforcement action. However, it
will continue to monitor the sector.
The letter also states that the Authority
is unlikely to challenge any voluntary
arrangements which were agreed
between parents and settings, providing
parents weren’t pressured into agreeing
out of fear that they may risk losing their
child’s place or even that the setting
may go out of business.
The story on parenta.com can be found
here.
Refunds denied for childcare
voucher scheme
Parents who have paid into childcare
voucher schemes are being denied
refunds by their employers, despite not
being able to use the vouchers during
lockdown. Some say they have built up
balances of more than £1,000.
Although the tax-efficient scheme closed
to new applicants in October 2018, those
who have already signed up are able to
continue to buy the vouchers. In financial
terms, if two parents contribute the
maximum, vouchers could cut the cost of
childcare by £1,866 a year, according to
the scheme.
But with childcare providers closed over
lockdown, many parents have built up
a surplus of vouchers they now can’t
use in the future - this could be because
their children are starting school in
September. It has been reported
that when some parents have asked
employers for their money back, they
have been told ‘no’.
The story on parenta.com can be found
here.
The full story, as reported by
thisismoney.co.uk can be found here.
Labour warns of ‘perfect
storm’ for working parents
A “perfect storm” of rising childcare
costs and providers closing down could
make it “impossible” for some parents
to return to work amid the coronavirus
pandemic, Labour says.
The opposition party says childcare
costs in England have risen up to three
times as fast as wages since 2010
and is calling on the Government to
“urgently provide targeted support” to
the childcare sector.
In response, the Government said
the sector had received “significant”
support.
Since 1st June, when early years
providers have been allowed to open to
all children, the Government has said
people who can, no longer have to work
from home. However, Labour warns that
many parents will struggle to return to
workplaces without adequate childcare,
particularly if families cannot rely on
grandparents for help due to the virus.
It says “long-term underfunding and
a lack of targeted support during the
coronavirus pandemic, will make it
impossible for many providers to remain
viable”.
The story on parenta.com can be found
here.
The full story, as reported by the BBC
can be found here.
Ofsted to start visits from
September
Ofsted has announced that from
September this year, it will start to
re-visit nurseries and childminders to
ensure standards are being maintained
and “well-run, safe and effective
childcare is available for all who need
it.”
It has published its guidance on interim
visits which details how these visits will
work in practice and which childcare
providers inspectors will be visiting.
The visits are part of its phased return
to routine inspection, details of which
can be found here and it emphasises
that they are not ‘inspections’ and
will not result in an inspection grade,
though inspectors will still be able to
use regulatory or enforcement powers if
necessary.
Routine inspections of early years
settings will not start before January
2021.
The story on parenta.com can be found
here.
The news story, as published on the
Government’s Ofsted website can be
found here.
Early years practitioners
leave the industry feeling
‘underpaid and undervalued’
A report out on 5th August from the
Social Mobility Commission reveals
that early years childcare workers are
leaving the industry, blighted by low
pay, long hours and poor prospects.
The study says the workforce is
“increasingly unstable”, with not enough
new entrants to replace those who
leave. The Government says it has
boosted funding to childcare providers,
in order to help parents get back to
work, but the Commission urges a total
overhaul of early years careers.
It states that good quality early
years provision is key to reducing the
attainment gap between children from
disadvantaged families and their betteroff
peers, but this provision is at risk as
committed professionals find themselves
undervalued, underpaid and unable to
make ends meet.
The story on parenta.com can be found
here.
The full story, as reported by the BBC
can be found here.
The Social Mobility Commission Report
can be found here.
Care workers to benefit from
new childcare costs grant
A new ‘childcare costs grant’ up to the
value of £2,000 has been launched
exclusively for care workers.
This grant is available from the Care
Workers Charity (CWC), as part of the
charity’s Coronavirus Emergency Fund,
launched in March for care workers
financially hit by the pandemic.
The grant can be used retrospectively
covering childcare costs from 23 March
up to the value of £2,000.
Care workers can apply for childcare
costs for children up to five years
old – for up to £125 per week and for
childminder costs for six to twelve-yearolds
during term time – up to the value
of £70 per week. They can also apply for
holiday childcare costs up to the value of
£150 per week.
The story on parenta.com can be found
here.
The full story, as reported in homecare.
co.uk can be read here.
The CMA letter can be read in full on the
government website here.
4 September 2020 | parenta.com
parenta.com | September 2020 5