Free nursery care funding amendment rejected

Parents in Jersey will have to pay upfront for planned free nursery care and be reimbursed later, after a budget amendment was rejected.

In its proposed budget, the States has offered 15 hours of free childcare for two to three year olds, but parents would need to pay nurseries themselves and claim back the fees from the government.

An amendment was suggested by deputy Inna Gardiner to invest an extra £137,000 to enable the States to pay nurseries directly.

The proposal that would enable providers to be paid at £11.50 per hour, was rejected after a lengthy debate.

The government asked nurseries to accept a rate of £11 an hour but last month the Jersey Early years association said for most members this would be unviable.

Gardiner explained to the Assembly that by uplifting the hourly rate to £11.50, it would be a "minimum workable compromise" so nurseries could be paid by the government directly.

She said the extra investment would mean parents would not need to pay upfront and it would save the government bureaucracy.

She said: "This isn't about profit. It's about viability. And the truth is simple - £11 is not workable.

"The government's comments paper says £11 is reasonable. If nurseries would think it's viable they will sign. They haven't - not because of politics but because the maths does not work.

"A reclaim system means parents must pay up front - hundreds of pounds per month - and reclaim later. For many families this is simply impossible."

The Jersey Early Years Association told the BBC most of its members would have been able to accept the £11.50 rate.

Gardiner went on to explain her amendment was "the cleanest solution."

She said uplifting the rate to £11.50 "would maintain high quality provision, support local childcare providers nurseries, and ensure that families can actually access the 15-hours the government intends to offer".

Gardiner's amendment was defeated, a decision welcomed by the education minister, deputy Rob Ward.

Ward said he accepted some nurseries were not in favour of the £11 an hour rate but he felt the amendment would not have the desired impact.

Ward said: "It wouldn't have avoided parents paying up front, there would have been a significant delay to the scheme being introduced.

"And actually the more we have looked at paying parents, the more flexibility it gives them to take the type of nursery care they want.

"It's a simple system and we can get it to work."

Some States Members said the failure to agree a partnership with the sector meant the policy would fail.

Ward was confident this was not the case.

He said: "No it's not going to fail, this is just politicking, there is a political move at the moment to prevent the good things we want to do."

The BBC spoke to parents in St Helier, some of whom think it would be much better not to have to pay upfront.

Georgia Hebert, who has a one-year-old, said: "I have to have a job before I can send him to nursery, whereas I'd prefer to be able to send him and then get a job that fits the hours."

Another parent, Sarah Casey, said getting the money back would work for her as she is in work to pay for childcare.

She said: "A lot of people that I've spoken to are able to find the money… but there is a few that have said they're struggling to afford it."

Tracey Barnes, who has young twins, said: "I would like the funding to come in first, and then we look at how that's actually administered.

She said she'd spoken to other mums at her play group.

"I think they'd much prefer that it is funded directly to the nurseries and childcare providers," she said.

On the free childcare, she said 15 hours isn't enough but is "a really good start".

"It makes a massive difference to the children who currently aren't in childcare and are just turning two," she said.

"I think it's really important to invest in their development."

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