Parents angry over lack of cross-border nursery deals
Campaigners say councils must co-operate on funding free places
WORKING parents who put their children into nursery in another council area, because they otherwise cannot pick them up in time, are being forced to pay up to £1,000 in upfront fees because there is no cross-council agreement for free funding.
Campaigners are calling for tougher national rules on the funding of free childcare places for youngsters who have to travel to nursery in a neighbouring local authority after research found most councils are not obeying Scottish Government guidance on cross-boundary funding.
A report published today by parent campaign group, Fair Funding for our Kids, found only four Scottish councils – Edinburgh, Falkirk, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian – have reciprocal agreements with every other local authority to fund childcare for children from other areas.
Scottish Government guidance says that all councils should have such agreements.
The problem typically hits parents who want their children to attend a nursery in the same council area in which they work, rather than where they live, so that they have time to pick up their children before the nursery closes.
The report, Over the Border, also reveals two-thirds of councils who responded require parents to pay up-front for their childcare, reimbursing them in arrears once a term. This means parents can be out of pocket by around £1,000.
Campaigners say this makes it harder for poorer parents to access their legal entitlement to 600 hours of free childcare.
A spokesman for Fair Funding for our Kids said: “Councils ought to have clear agreements that they will sort out cross-boundary funding between themselves. But parents often find themselves stuck between two councils who can’t agree whose responsibility it is to provide the 600 hours. It’s yet another barrier to accessing the entitlement.”
Maeve Dixon, whose two-yearold son attends a private nursery in Glasgow, is among those frustrated by the situation. The family live in East Renfrewshire, but Ms Dixon works in West Dunbartonshire while her partner works in Glasgow.
She said: “My son’s nursery says it’s unlikely he’ll get funded hours from Glasgow City Council, because they prioritise children living in the area. Childcare in East Renfrewshire is not an option for us as we can’t get home until 6.30pm at the earliest, and we have no family locally to pick up at 6pm or in case of emergency. Our home council says they might fund East Renfrewshire children attending nurseries outwith the area, but only if they have money left over and only on a priority basis.”
A spokesman for Cosla, the umbrella body for councils, disputed the findings. He said: “In November, Cosla provided evidence to the Education and Skills Committee at the Scottish Parliament which was based on a survey of all member councils. That evidence contradicts statements in this report.”
The Government added it had made clear providers were expected to spend the funds to provide the hours, flexibility and choice that children and their parents needed.