Guest Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 (edited) I have heard today that I will no longer be able to access extra funding to support and pay for my lovely member of staff who has studied and qualified as an EYPS. I have to say although I knew this was on the cards it really sickens me to the core that in a time where early years education should be given priority decisions are being made to withdraw the financial support that has really enabled my pre-school, and probably many others, to raise it's game significantly. With the PSLA conference around the corner I feel the need to raise this concern and seek change in the allocation of funding. I can't help but feel that this is going to backfire somewhere along the line! At this rate we will be back to having early years staff who are unqualified. Ranting Manager Edited June 3, 2011 by Guest
AnonyMouse_8466 Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 Fortunately in our Local Authority the GLF has been replaced with similar funding, and the criteria has been changed slightly so that more settings can qualify. However it has to be said that our Authority has always stipulated that settings should work on their business model so that they can self-fund the enhanced salaries for graduates in the long term. How we are meant to achieve that when the Single Funding Formula has us in handcuffs I'm not sure. Does the withdrawal of this funding mean you will need to make some difficult decisions with regard to your staff member's continued employment? If so it is just heartbreaking.
Guest Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 (edited) It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me - expecting early years provision to raise it's quality, with the EPPE findings stating that qualified staff are a major factor in this, and yet funding to support training and continued professional development has been axed I've found some premises and I'm attempting to opening a small nursery - although the boroughs 2011 childcare sufficiency report highlights a shortage of places in the area and recommends 'start up funding for new provision' - we are told there is none, there is also no financial support for any training, settings have to fund their own, also no Graduate Leader Funding or financial support of any kind for anything. I have just completed my foundation degree and my partner to be has an early years BA, we are both passionate about providing a high quality homely setting because we want to try make a difference to children. My partner is hoping to go on to achieve EYPS and we hoped for some funding to support her and the setting. I've funded the last year of my foundation degree myself, however, sadly with start up costs and little spare time, I won't be able to afford to do the final year to achieve a BA which saddens me greatly. Sob story over, sorry feeling very sad and cross about all the cuts in early years Edited June 4, 2011 by Guest
Guest Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me - expecting early years provision to raise it's quality, with the EPPE findings stating that qualified staff are a major factor in this, and yet funding to support training and continued professional development has been axed I've found some premises and I'm attempting to opening a small nursery - although the boroughs 2011 childcare sufficiency report highlights a shortage of places in the area and recommends 'start up funding for new provision' - we are told there is none, there is also no financial support for any training, settings have to fund their own, also no Graduate Leader Funding or financial support of any kind for anything. I have just completed my foundation degree and my partner to be has an early years BA, we are both passionate about providing a high quality homely setting because we want to try make a difference to children. My partner is hoping to go on to achieve EYPS and we hoped for some funding to support her and the setting. I've funded the last year of my foundation degree myself, however, sadly with start up costs and little spare time, I won't be able to afford to do the final year to achieve a BA which saddens me greatly. Sob story over, sorry feeling very sad and cross about all the cuts in early years This breaks my heart Sam, wher will it all end?
Guest Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 Fortunately in our Local Authority the GLF has been replaced with similar funding, and the criteria has been changed slightly so that more settings can qualify. However it has to be said that our Authority has always stipulated that settings should work on their business model so that they can self-fund the enhanced salaries for graduates in the long term. How we are meant to achieve that when the Single Funding Formula has us in handcuffs I'm not sure. Does the withdrawal of this funding mean you will need to make some difficult decisions with regard to your staff member's continued employment? If so it is just heartbreaking.
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 (edited) Goose i am really sorry you are having such a difficult time....have you spoken to your local councillor? i know this is not something that we instantly think of but i had a conversation with mine the other day (i have worked hard on my political connections recently!) who, when i told him i was unable to get any sen funding, was furious. Our local council has recently put a huge pot of money into the budget for sen needs but it is not being passed on to the settings(IMO) so i really think that we need to learn more about how our councils run their budgets and how they are allocating the dosh! the psla are good in their way but are not local enough for the details you need. Other pots of money to try and access might be parish council funds and grant funding...both might be worth a go sorry wrote sam not goose! edit Edited June 4, 2011 by finleysmaid
Guest Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 I totally agree with you that it is important that the business model is sustainable and we most certainly should be able to ensure that we can achieve this. However, the cap on top ups and likelihood of having funding reduced makes this a much harder task. Not sure why I am even putting this as a post, as we all know the issues, but it is great to rant sometimes Money tree anyone?
AnonyMouse_8466 Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 My partner is hoping to go on to achieve EYPS and we hoped for some funding to support her and the setting. Have you checked with your training provider about what is happening to EYP funding? I haven't seen any announcements about what is going to happen with regards to people who join a pathway in January, but the CWDC funding has always been pretty generous in terms of providing cover, books etc. And of course EYPS itself has always been free. So many unanswered questions, what with the CWDC being disbanded and the strange re-tendering process and all the confusion that surrounds it.
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