Shropshire Council moves to reassure nursery owners

Concerns have been raised by a number of nursery owners over funding available during the coronavirus crisis, particularly after claims that the Government has changed the guidance on what will be available.

Some have remained open to look after children of key workers but many have closed due to lack of demand.

Shropshire Council has now said it will not be implementing a policy where funding is moved when children move from one nursery to another.

Instead it will effectively 'double fund' the place so that settings forced to close are not penalised.

Karen Bradshaw, executive director of children’s services, said: "This is obviously a very worrying time for all our childcare providers who are faced with the financial uncertainty which results from the current crisis and balancing this with their attempts to continue to provide the best possible care for their children and families.

“We value all of our many nursery providers greatly in Shropshire as they are a large and integral part of our overall provision for children and families.

"We are very conscious of the need to ensure that as many providers as possible are able to remain sustainable and reopen providing high quality care and education as quickly as possible once the current lockdown begins to lift. Hence the measures which we have put in place to safeguard settings finances as far as possible during this time.

“I can also reassure parents that any funding that their child was due to receive for the summer term will still be paid to the nursery.”

Councillor Ed Potter, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We understand the difficulties that all providers face.

"Whilst our resources have been focused on those settings that have remained open, we are very aware of the need to offer information, support and guidance to all of our childcare providers during this time of uncertainty.

"We have sent regular e-mail updates to all of those who have chosen to receive our information and have dealt with numerous e-mails and phone calls from providers seeking support with a wide range of subjects – and we will continue to do so.”

A statement from the council outlined how payments will work.

It said: "The interim free entitlement funding payments for the summer term has been paid to all providers based on the headcount claim made in March 2020. For this term, as an additional support for providers, the percentage of funding paid in the interim payment has been increased to 75 per cent from the usual 60 per cent. This payment was made four weeks earlier than was timetabled in view of the financial situation which providers found themselves facing when the announcement of nursery closures was made.

"The remaining 25 per cent of the summer terms headcount funding will be provided as quickly as possible, and no later than May 31 2020, which is again earlier than planned."

The statement added: "Though the Government has allowed local authorities to transfer funding for those children who have moved to a different childcare provider, the council has decided not to implement this policy and will continue to ‘double fund’ any key worker or vulnerable children who have moved settings for the summer term. In this way no childcare provider should be financially disadvantaged because of deciding to close."

The authority said childcare providers which are eligible to receive the Business Rate Relief and Business Support Grants will be receiving information shortly – and can also email the authority on covid19businessenquiries@shropshire.gov.uk