Regions: Scotland

“Beat the Budget” tickets for NDNA’s Annual Nursery Conference

Today (17 Jan) National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) launches its annual national nursery conference with reduced price tickets. A total of 50 cheaper “Beat the Budget” tickets for the Shaping the Future of Childcare: Making the First Five Years Count conference on Friday 9 June are available on a first come first served basis. Half… Continue reading “Beat the Budget” tickets for NDNA’s Annual Nursery Conference

NDNA launches cost of delivery survey for nurseries

NDNA is asking the nursery and  early years sector across England, Scotland and Wales to fill in a short survey asking key questions to see the impact of rising costs on childcare businesses and charities. As providers face a number of pressures the design of the survey has been cut down to minimise the number… Continue reading NDNA launches cost of delivery survey for nurseries

Autumn Statement: no additional support for nursery sector

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt gave his Autumn Statement in Parliament today announcing no sector-specific support for nursery businesses. From April 2023, the National Living Wage is set to rise again by 9.7%, with minimum wage for 21 and 22 year olds increasing by 10.9%. The education budget will increase by £2.3bn but there was no mention… Continue reading Autumn Statement: no additional support for nursery sector

Education Children and Young People Committee calls for mapping exercise

The Education, Children and Young People Committee has written to the Cabinet Secretary, Shirley Anne Somerville to request a mapping exercise to establish the impact of movement of staff from PVI to Local Authority settings on the success of the delivery of the 1140 hours policy. This decision follows on from NDNA’s Director of Policy… Continue reading Education Children and Young People Committee calls for mapping exercise

Local Authority admit that ELC funding model isn’t fair on PVI providers

The Education, Children and Young People Committee met this week to discuss the funding for Early Learning and Childcare as part of their pre-budget scrutiny into the Early Learning and Childcare 1140 hours policy. The most recent session, held on 25 October, took evidence from representatives from three local authorities on funding for early learning… Continue reading Local Authority admit that ELC funding model isn’t fair on PVI providers

Childcare businesses must be classed as vulnerable

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy headed by the new Secretary of State Jacob Rees-Mogg have announced a package of support for businesses, households and the public sector to alleviate the pressure of energy bills. The package has revealed a new Government Energy Bill Relief Scheme for non-domestic customers which will provide a… Continue reading Childcare businesses must be classed as vulnerable

Queen’s Funeral and Bank Holiday 19 September – Q&A for nurseries

The Government announced the date of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will be Monday 19 September and will be a Bank Holiday. Today the Department for Education has issued guidance for educational settings regarding the closure. Scottish Government issued this guidance. Welsh Government has said opening is down to the discretion of individual settings. It’s vital your… Continue reading Queen’s Funeral and Bank Holiday 19 September – Q&A for nurseries

PM announces support for businesses with energy bills

Prime Minister Liz Truss announced that she will put support in place from October to assist all businesses with their energy costs for six months. This will be “equivalent” to the support for householders, which will mean that a “typical household” will pay no more than £2,500 in energy bills for the next two years.… Continue reading PM announces support for businesses with energy bills

Tax-Free Childcare: Parents only using half of accounts

The Government has published its latest statistics for Tax-Free Childcare showing that half of all open accounts are not even used. There was a dip in numbers of people using TFC in June but otherwise more people are using the support than previously. However, only 50% of open accounts were used in April which means… Continue reading Tax-Free Childcare: Parents only using half of accounts

Half of Scottish nurseries still don’t know funding rates for next week

Nearly half of councils in Scotland (47%) have yet to make a decision on the hourly rates they will pay to early learning and childcare (ELC) providers from next week, according to information provided to National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA). Responding to an FOI request, 15 councils said they had not made a decision about… Continue reading Half of Scottish nurseries still don’t know funding rates for next week

Sector returns to celebrate achievements in annual nursery awards!

Staff and practitioners made a triumphant return to NDNA’s annual awards to celebrate their achievements in glitzy ceremony at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth. NDNA’s annual conference returned during the day, bringing members and sector experts together before finalists and their families gathered in anticipation at the awards dinner. The biggest award of the… Continue reading Sector returns to celebrate achievements in annual nursery awards!

Private and voluntary nurseries expected to deliver more for less

Scottish private and independent nurseries are delivering almost a third of the country’s funded childcare places but councils are only allocating about a fifth of their budgets to pay for this. National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Scotland put out a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all Scottish local authorities asking what percentage of funded… Continue reading Private and voluntary nurseries expected to deliver more for less

Less than 1/5 of parents recognise unique importance of age 0-5

The Royal Foundation has unveiled its newest findings of research into the public perceptions of early childhood development. The Duchess of Cambridge’s Foundation, which aims to drive awareness of and action on the extraordinary impact of the early years, published the research based on a survey of 4,682 adults and over a 1,000 interviews with… Continue reading Less than 1/5 of parents recognise unique importance of age 0-5

Urgent funding boost for childcare sectors is needed as costs rise £2000 a year since 2010

New analysis published by the Trades Union Congress on Monday reveal that the cost of childcare for children under two has drastically increased by more than £2000 (£185 per month )in the last decade since the Conservatives took office. Parents saw an average annual nursery bill for a child under two of £4,992 in 2010.… Continue reading Urgent funding boost for childcare sectors is needed as costs rise £2000 a year since 2010

TAX FREE CHILDCARE: Less than half of eligible families accessing support

HMRC have published the statistics on the usage of their Tax Free Childcare offer for the 2021/22 tax year. The Government scheme offers up to £2,000 a year per child towards childcare costs, including nursery provision. The latest statistics show that only around half of the estimated 1.3 million eligible families are accessing the support… Continue reading TAX FREE CHILDCARE: Less than half of eligible families accessing support

Pay equity for Scotland PVI sector needs significant investment MSPs

The Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People’s Committee met to discuss and assess the rollout and implementation of the 1140 hour offer. The committee is made up of ten cross party Members of the Scottish Parliament and it is their role to scrutinise the policies implemented by the Scottish Government. They meet weekly when… Continue reading Pay equity for Scotland PVI sector needs significant investment MSPs

Department for Education to consult sector on ratios changes

Children and Familie’s Minister, Will Quince MP has announced his plans to consult with the sector with the idea to move towards a ratios system similar to that employed in Scotland, with a ratio of one to five instead of one to four for two-year-olds. The minister said over twitter, “we will be consulting on… Continue reading Department for Education to consult sector on ratios changes

Celebrating Early Years; NDNA awards finalists revealed

National Day Nurseries Association has revealed the finalists for their much anticipated awards for 2022. Finalists and guests will come together on the 24th June at Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, with celebrity guest Jenny Powell, presenting the awards. Purnima Tanuku, Chief Executive of NDNA, said: “We are extremely excited to welcome everyone back… Continue reading Celebrating Early Years; NDNA awards finalists revealed

Healthy Body, Happy Me week: supporting children right from the start

“Right from the Start” is the theme of this year’s Healthy Body, Happy Me week, an annual March campaign run by National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) to support children’s health and wellbeing. The week highlights the essential building blocks for children’s development and focusses on a different area each day to ensure practitioners are equipped with… Continue reading Healthy Body, Happy Me week: supporting children right from the start