Where is the care in childcare?

I do not understand what is happening with childcare prices

Alongside the cost of living, I have never seen anything like this!

This is what we hear the parents say

And the Government are only too happy to send you our way

The small businesses and nurseries are in financial crisis

Yet the government just keeps upping the prices

They tell us its mandatory that pensions are put in place

Demanding that the business also pays in a ‘going rate’

There will be fines and penalties for all who fail to do this

This was solely introduced for the governments benefit

People are not earning enough to pay into a pension

So, the government comes along with other things they ‘forgot to mention’

They have declared the minimum wage will increase

Therefore, the nurseries have no choice but to raise fees

The cost-of-living increases with the bills and the wages

More is going out with minimal, incoming staggered payments

There is no more money coming into the business

Yet we are paying out hand over fist

We were unable to furlough our staff during the covid period, told to pay them until further instructed

We struggled through and watched other settings close following directions from a government they trusted

So instead of providing the required support

The government questions if childcare settings are even needed at all?

Whilst our staff are worth their weight in gold

They do their job for the love not for the fortune, truth be told

The settings have no choice but to increase their fees

To retain the well trained, highly qualified staff to meet the children’s needs

Meanwhile the government and councils wash their hands

I have questioned the council directly about the governments allocated money and their plans

The answers are always the same

The money has gone, allocated elsewhere, with always someone else to blame

The industry finds itself questioning its worth

As we have been forgotten, questioned and had our names dragged through the dirt

Whilst we have gone through all this disarray

Ofsted decides to visit and brings along judgement day

They usually come along and point out the obvious

We are lacking funding and support which then equals a lack of resources

For an inner-city nursery in a deprived area of town

Of course, there is wear and tear and signs of being run down

But the professionalism, management, conduct, and love are never lacking

The nursery will never be outstanding due to the lack of financial backing

They compare our independent setting to the upper class providers

And the finances are the only thing which clearly divides us

The Government has done all within its power to destroy our business

And we are grateful to the staff, parents and children who have stuck with us

Please do not think that our childcare is lacking in care

If the government subsidized the increases it insists we make we could be more fair

With no reassurances and support being provided

Our industry feels the brunt of how the funding is divided

we often question how long can we go on like this for?

How long before we join the other settings forced to close their doors?

 © L. Blair