[NAME] MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A OAA
RE: 30 hours ‘free childcare’ offer
Dear [NAME]MP,
I am writing to you as a [job title] based in your constituency of [name of area] to express my concerns about the 30-hour ‘free childcare’ offer.
As you will be aware, many early years providers do not believe that the offer in its current form is viable in the long term. A recent Pre-school Learning Alliance survey found that nearly four in 10 providers offering the 30 hours do not think they will be sustainable by the end of 2018, and the sector is already seeing increase numbers of nurseries, pre-schools and childminders being forced out of business.
My own experience is that [insert your own experience of underfunding here: for example, have you struggled to cope with rising business costs? Do you rely on fundraising/the work of volunteers to stay afloat? Are you concerned about the viability of your business? Is your area seeing a decrease in funding next year? Has funding impacted your ability to deliver places for children with additional needs or SEND?].
In its 2015 childcare cost review, the Department for Education proposed unrealistic business models, and used out-of-date surveys from 2012 and 2013 as the source of important data on delivery costs, such as staff costs, rents and mortgages, insurance and utilities.As a result, the recent average increase in funding is still nowhere near enough to cover business costs for providers already struggling as the result of years of underfunding.[If your particular area has seen or will see a fall in funding rates, make sure to mention this here too].
In addition, the DfE has confirmed that this increase in overall early years funding is ‘frontloaded’, meaning that no further increases will be available until the next Parliament. This is despite the fact that business costs, and in particular, staff wages, will increase significantly over this time – with the national living wage set to increase to £9 per hour by 2020.
This is unsustainable and may lead to quality early years providers either withdrawing from the free entitlement offer, being forced to increase fees, being forced to restrict places or to close down altogether. [Insert your own thoughts about what you have had to do / may have to do here: for example, are you increasing or considering increasing fees for paid-for hours, or the cost of places for younger children to plug the funding gap? Are you thinking of withdrawing from the 30 hour offer, or limiting places? Is your provision at risk of closure? Any figures you have here to support this will be very useful].
That is why I’m supporting the Pre-school Learning Alliance’s Fair Future Funding campaign, whichcalls on the government tointroduce a mechanism to ensure that funding covers the cost of delivering funded childcare places in the years to come.
As my local MP, I would ask that you raise thisissue on my behalf, and work with colleagues in government toensure that this problem is addressed as a matter of urgency.
I have included with this letter the Alliance’s ‘mythbuster’ document which may help you to better understand the challenges facing the early years sector, and explain in more detail why the government’s response to concerns about this policy to date have not been sufficient.
Thank you for your support on this matter. I would be keen to discuss this further and can be contacted on [contact details].
I look forward to hearing from you,
Yours sincerely,
[signature]
[Your name]
[Your address, including postcode]