Trouble with Splitting Early Years Education Grant between two providers

[wave]

Hi everyone

I would be very grateful if anyone has had any experience in this area.

We know from the Department of Education that it is possible to split the Early Years Education Grant between two providers.

We are both working parents (I work part-time because I have to financially). We send our children (twins) to a private nursery for 2 days per week and then took up pre-school places at a Southwark school for 3 mornings per week. We were completely open with both providers of this childcare about what we were doing and neither brought up the funding situation as an issue.

We have now been told, in May, after starting this provision in January 2011, that the grant will only be paid to 1 of the 2 providers and that the school will always come first. Therefore our nursery tell us that our monthly fees will go up by ?300 per month.

I believe that Southwark should fall in line with the DofE and enable split funding as this current system is not fair and does not suit anyone who works. We, as working parents, who are just trying to get by and make a living, are being penalized very heavily and are going to find it difficult to find an alternative solution because of our particular circumstances; we cannot come up with extra money just like that with no warning.

We feel that this is our grant for our children. Southwark tell us that because we were offered 5 mornings at pre-school, it is irrelevant that we only can use 3 mornings - the full grant still goes to the school.

Any help would be very welcome

Thanks

[Fuschia]

Did the school actually agree they would provide just 3x 3h sessions? Or did they offer you 5 and you used just 3? Few schools if any offer flexible provision you see

If you can prove that was the agreement with the school then the school should only be entitled to grant for the 3 sessions

How about contacting your councillor?

[Fuschia]

Did the school actually agree they would provide just 3x 3h sessions? Or did they offer you 5 and you used just 3? Few schools if any offer flexible provision you see

If you can prove that was the agreement with the school then the school should only be entitled to grant for the 3 sessions

How about contacting your councillor?

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Thanks Fuschia

Yes, I did actually write to the school (well, to the head of early years) and tell them why we would not be able to use the 5 days, because of working requirements). the actually form i then received, just had the offer of 5 days and I then returned it completed, only accepting 3. I would have assumed that this was enough paperwork - especially as no one had indicated there was any kind of issue.

We intend to contact the councillor about this. I do appreciate your response. I now understand that that a blind eye is generally turned to this double funding because of the administrative issues but I would suggest that they either play it one way or the other - either they turn a blind eye or they do it properly and allow funding to go to the providers of the care, as the D of E suggests should be possible.

thanks again

[Fuschia]

I guess they interpreted it (wrongly, it turns out) as a 5 day place not used every day.

The funding arrangements for the grant were different fos schools last financial year and this.

In the LA where i work (and I guess others) in 2010/11 schools received a lump sum from a govt grant to fund the 15h. 2011/12 is the first year the funding forms part of the core budget and is based on a proper headcount. I don't know what flexibility there is but in my LA parents will now sign a funding agreement to confirm they are using their 15 in full at one provider (or not) and double funding should be eliminated.

I have looked around but can't see Southwark's procedure anywhere. You could put in a FOI request or your cllr could pursue it.

I think the school has jumped to a certain conclusion, but if you stated on the acceptance you were only accepting 3 sessions, you are in the right. (Though I suspect the school would then have withdrawn the offer as they can't afford to have the place empty and unfunded on 2 days)

[Fuschia]

Something for you

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/faqs/200016/childcare/answer/301/can_i_use_more_than_one_early_education_provider#a301

"W

Q: Can I use more than one early education provider?

Answer:

It is possible to split your place between two providers as long as the total number of free hours does not exceed your entitlement. However, this provision is only available if the early education provider is able to accomodate you in this way."

[wave]

thanks again fuschia

we had found that link and are following this up with our local cllr

[wave]

If anyone was interested in this thread - we had success - Southwark agreed to split the funding, a contributing factor was that we had been completely up front about our plans with both providers.

[Fuschia]

That's good news

Bet someone is in trouble at the school!