Any proposal to increase Ofsted registration fees must not jeopardise nurseries’ sustainability, National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) says.

Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah has written to sector organisations regarding Government plans to consult about a potential increase.

Ofsted’s fees are currently subsidised by the Government, but Treasury guidance determines that regulators recover the economic costs of their operations through the fees they charge.

Purnima Tanuku OBE, NDNA’s Chief Executive, said: “We understand that there is a cost to Ofsted’s registration and inspection service, but it’s paramount that nurseries don’t have to endure a heavy burden of additional costs at this sensitive time. This year, many nurseries will be piloting the new scheme to provide 30 free hours of childcare to three and four year olds, ahead of it being rolled out across the country next year.

Read the full press release here

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) is deeply concerned that 29% of women earn less than the living wage – but funding issues are the root cause within the childcare sector.

The KPMG Living Wage report out today shows that women and the young are most likely to be paid less than the living wage – with 29% of women’s pay packets amounting to less than £7.85 per hour or £9.15 in London.

The National Living Wage of £7.20 per hour will be brought in by the Government from April 2016 and must be paid to all employees aged 25 and over.

The Living Wage Foundation also announced today that the voluntary Living Wage is rising to £8.25 and £9.40 in London.

Read the full press release here

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) deplores the proposals that would deny parents of young children who don’t attend childcare settings of their child benefit.

Influential Conservative Think Tank Bright Blue made the proposals to encourage parents to send their three and four year olds to nursery – and also eligible two-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds who get 15 funded hours per week.

Purnima Tanuku OBE, NDNA’s Chief Executive, said: “We should be educating parents about the benefits to their child’s development and life chances of attending high quality early education – but not punishing them.

“We need to raise awareness of the benefits to the child, especially the disadvantaged two-year-olds to increase the take-up. Currently 58% of eligible two-year-olds benefit from the funded places so there is still room for improvement.

“But reducing or taking away their child benefit could harm the whole family, at a time when tax credits are being cut.

“Ofsted told our members at our recent member events that they would be looking at patterns of non attendance of children at nursery but as a means of supporting a family which may be having problems.

“It is also very important for young children to spend quality time with their families as well as attending quality childcare settings.”

Figures published by the Department for Education in January showed that 99% of four-year-olds and 94% of three-year-olds are taking up their free education hours.