Bamboo Childcare

Child Benefit cuts 'looked at for Fairness'

2012-01-13T10:59:00.000Z

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16539428

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said the government is looking at ways to make controversial plans to cut child benefit "fairer".

He spoke as David Cameron also hinted moves to scrap the benefit for families with one parent earning more than about £44,000 a year could be amended.

The PM acknowledged there was an issue with the threshold - amid criticism it unfairly hits single earner families.
But Treasury sources said there had been no change in policy.

Critics say the proposals would mean that some parents will lose thousands of pounds if their income rises above the 40% tax threshold - currently about £44,000, but due to fall to about £42,000 in 2013.

'Unfairness'

A couple with three children could lose around £2,500 if one parent earned just a few pounds over the threshold - even if the other was unemployed.

But a couple who both earn just under £44,000 a year each, and enjoy a total household income of more than £80,000, would keep all their benefit.

In an interview with Parliament's House Magazine, Mr Cameron suggested he did have some concerns over how the proposed changes were structured.

"Some people say that's the unfairness of it, that you lose the child benefit if you have a higher-rate taxpayer in the family (but) two people below the level keep the benefit," he said.

"So, there's a threshold, a cliff-edge issue. We always said we would look at the steepness of the curve, we always said we would look at the way it's implemented and that remains the case.

"But again, I don't want to impinge on the chancellor's Budget."

'Fairness issue'

BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said the so-called "cliff-edge" could be replaced with some sort of tapering of benefits, but any kind of rowing back on the cuts would cost the government money.

In an interview with BBC Radio Surrey's Breakfast programme, Culture Secretary Mr Hunt said: "We are looking at ways to make it fairer.

"Particularly, there's this sort of 'cliff-edge effect', that if someone gets over the top-rate limit they lose child benefit, but there could be two people who are just under the limit in a household and have a combined income of much, much more than that who continue to claim it.

"So we just want to look at the fairness issue there and see if there's anything we can do to improve it."

And Education Secretary Michael Gove told the BBC: "The policy was right, but you need to make sure that when you implement it, that you deal with any rough edges."
Chancellor George Osborne will deliver his third Budget - where tax and spending changes are traditionally announced - in March.

Mr Osborne has defended the child benefit cut - which could save up to £1bn a year - as tough but necessary, saying those on higher incomes must contribute their share to helping cut the budget deficit.

Labour have criticised the proposals, saying they have caused "huge anxiety" and that all families need support in tough times.

Shadow Treasury minister Chris Leslie said his party had "repeatedly warned that the government's current plans to cut child benefit are unfair and highly bureaucratic".

"These ill-thought-through plans are due to hit families in less than 12 months' time, so David Cameron and George Osborne urgently need to come up with some new proposals," he said.

Why should parents be forced to use council nurseries?

2011-12-21T12:22:00.000Z

http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/local-headlines/why_should_parents_be_forced_to_use_council_nursery_demands_angry_parent_1_2006445

A CONTROVERSIAL cost-cutting measure is ‘forcing’ parents to use council nurseries, a concerned parent has claimed.

Every child, aged three and four, is entitled to 12.5 hours a week at a nursery during term time.
East Dunbartonshire Council announced in October that it would not be funding any more places at partner – private and voluntary – nurseries for the school year.

Instead, parents are being offered places at authority-run facilities – generating business and saving cash for the council.
One Bishopbriggs dad who contacted the Herald said he was “appalled” at the decision.

He said: “As parents, we all understand that these are perilous financial times, but local private nurseries provide a vital service to the community.
“This change of tack by the council will have severe financial implications for such businesses.”

He suggested that funding be paid to parents as vouchers to be redeemed at the nursery of their choice. Scottish Government funding provided to the council for pre-school education is not ring-fenced, meaning it can be used for other purposes if required.

Partner nurseries were asked to tender for a set number of free places for this school year – which were duly allocated.

That process is set to be repeated next year, with nurseries being invited to tender again to provide free places.

A report into the issue of pre-school places was presented at a meeting of the education committee last week.

The report confirms the tendering process will proceed and reveals children not registered by July 31 will be given a pre-school place at a council nursery – not a partnership nursery.

A council spokesperson said: “We are about to begin the procurement process to secure private and voluntary nursery places for 2012-2015 and, as part of this year’s budget consultation with local residents, we will continue to review private and voluntary nursery/local authority nursery provision.”

She added: “This year the amount of money from the budget allocated for partnership centres was £1,316,845. The number of commissioned places at September 2011 was 1,059 compared to a total number of 1,038 last year for the full year.

“The situation for most families this year has therefore been broadly similar to that of previous years.

“Although there have been one or two placement difficulties since then, largely because some placement requests were received after the set number of commissioned places had already been allocated, in the main these have been resolved amicably.”

Enormous shortfall in two year old places predicted

2011-12-16T10:12:00.000Z

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/1108829/Enormous-shortfall-two-year-old-places-predicted/

Written by Catherine Gaunt - December 13th 2011.

Some of the largest nursery groups in the country are concerned that a shortfall in the number of nursery places for disadvantaged two-year-olds could hamper Government plans to expand free nursery education, Nursery World has learned.
It is understood that there is already likely to be a shortage of 40,000 places for the initial rollout of the scheme from September 2013.

The chancellor's announcement in his Autumn Statement to extend the number of nursery places for two-year-olds to 40 per cent of children, from 2014-15, means thousands more places will need to be found.
The Government says that it will be investing an extra £380m a year in the scheme, so that up to 260,000 two-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of nursery education a week. However, it is understood that officials at the Department for Education have estimated that there could already be a shortfall of 40,000 places for the initial rollout, which will entitle 20 per cent of two-year-olds to a free place for 15 hours a week from 2013.
The DfE is currently consulting on the eligibility criteria for providers that wish to offer two-year-old places and has indicated that only providers that are judged 'outstanding' or 'good' by Ofsted will be eligible for the two-year-old funding.
Based on the number of providers that currently meet this standard, it is understood that there is likely to be a shortage of 40,000 places. Now that the Government is planning to extend the scheme, a further 130,000 places need to be found.
It is also understood that although providers are willing to offer two-year-old places in settings where capacity is available, they are not considering investing in providing more places - by extending premises and taking on more staff, for example - without more Government investment.

'Question mark'
A number of the large nursery groups have told Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, which chairs the Major Providers group, that they welcome the proposal to extend the scheme for disadvantaged two-year-olds and will use their spare capacity, but they are not prepared to invest further to create additional places. It is understood that nursery groups believe it is unreasonable of the Government to expect them to subsidise the two-year-old offer.

Mr Leitch said there was 'a massive question mark' about whether the number of childcare places could be accommodated by the sector.
As the two-year-old entitlement is being offered to the most disadvantaged children, there is likely to be a shortage of places particularly in deprived areas, where childcare quality tends to be lower, or in rural areas.
Mr Leitch warned that a policy to allow only 'good' or 'outstanding' nurseries to offer two-year-old places would 'eliminate a significant proportion of settings'.
He claimed that there could be an overall shortfall of at least 170,000 places, in the 'worst case scenario', and that if the Government adhered to this policy 'a fair chunk of the sector' would be excluded from offering the scheme.
Mr Leitch said, 'Something has to happen to accommodate those places. If funding is only going to "good" or "outstanding" settings, you could be a "satisfactory" setting and not have an inspection for three or four years, which puts you at a disadvantage.'

To counter this, the Alliance is proposing that 'satisfactory' settings should be able to ask Ofsted to re-inspect them after six months, so that they have a chance to show that they have successfully acted on Ofsted's actions and recommendations and believe that their provision has improved sufficiently to move up a grade from 'satisfactory'.

Mr Leitch suggested that Ofsted's costs would be covered by settings paying for the re-inspection themselves.
He said that such a move would drive improvement to the quality of early years settings, as well as leading to an increase in the number of available places for two-year-olds.

Meanwhile, Early Years Childcare, which runs nine nurseries in Sussex, is running a survey about the experiences of nurseries offering the pilot scheme for two-year-olds.
The group says that a number of providers say they are struggling to stay sustainable and that the situation is compounded by underfunding for threeand four-year-olds.
Business development manager Adeline Garman said, 'Most have expressed concern that they will be put under further pressure once the scheme is rolled out to eligible two-year-olds.'

To take part in an online survey visit:

http://www.freechildcare.org.uk/%202011/12/two-year-old-funding-take-part-in-our-survey/

Parents put off by 'Cliques' in parent & toddler groups

2011-12-07T10:57:00.004Z

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/1107457/Parents-put-off-cliques-parent-toddler-groups/
Research carried out by the University of Bristol found that a quarter of parents decided not to go back to a group after one visit because they found it ‘cliquey’ or did not know any of the other parents.

One in five parents in the study was described as ‘group-phobic’.

The study - funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and Barnardo's - found that rather than cost or location, the key reason which determined whether parents went to pre-school groups was how well mothers thought they would get on with others in the group.

Parents were much more likely to keep going back to a group if they were told about it by a friend or relative, than if they saw it advertised on a leaflet or a poster.

Researcher Dr Sue Jones from the university’s School for Policy Studies interviewed 30 parents from a deprived area of Bristol to find out why some parents use early years groups regularly, while others do not.

Dr Jones said that despite concern that "hard-to-reach" parents do not use early years groups, there has been little research into the social and psychological factors that influence parental attendance.

‘Going to a group can be a daunting experience, especially if a mother doesn’t know anyone there. The mother and group need to "fit" together. Mothers need to feel that others in the group are her social equals, with similar values and attitudes to childrearing. Mothers need to feel their age, social class, and their or their child’s ethnic identity will not isolate them in the group,’ she said.

Dr Jones interviewed 29 mothers and one father (the father had not attended any early years groups).

Between them, they knew of 97 early years groups and had tried two-thirds of them.

The early years groups included were those where attendance was up to parents, and not because they needed to attend for childcare reasons. They were run by both volunteers and paid staff and included mother/ parent toddler groups, baby drop-ins and playgroups.

Of the 30 children in the study, 11 of them had either never been to a group or had only been once.

However, seven mothers had been to three or more different groups and four children had been to early years groups more than 200 times.

Lacking confidence was found to be a major barrier to attendance, with even confident mothers preferring to go to groups with friends.

‘Knowing someone usually resulted in regular and enjoyable attendance, not least because it often meant the mother had someone to go with,’ the study said.

Mothers who had attended ante-natal classes before their child was born were significantly more likely to attend groups regularly and were less likely to have attended council nurseries before their child was three.

What mattered most was whether mothers ‘fitted in’ with group members.

Although only one mother used the word ‘class’, nine of them commented about 15 groups in class terms. Different mothers could describe the same group as ‘friendly’ or stuck-up’.

Mothers who had bad experiences going to a group described how they felt the group was cliquey, with other mothers ‘bitching and gossiping’, or giving them ‘dirty looks’. Seven of the mothers interviewed said that their experiences had put them off groups permanently.

Sure Start services appealed to a wider range of social groups that the others.

Fewer parents complained about Sure Start being cliquey, which Dr Jones said could be because Sure Start used early years staff to welcome newcomers, and also set up some groups to run for just six to eight weeks to give less chance for cliques to form.

Of the 42 Sure Start groups in the study, just two were described as ‘cliquey’, compared with 13 of the 55 other types of group.

The report concluded, ‘It would seem that few resources (educational, financial, mental health) balanced against high needs (large family, many problems) and an accumulation of abuse, stress and trauma can severely dent a mother’s confidence, whereas warm encouragement, pleasant group experiences and appropriate help from workers can increase it.’

What parents said

‘[I] wouldn’t go to a group where I didn’t know anyone. I can’t make conversation with people and things like that.’

‘I wouldn’t go to any groups round here…Went to one or two and they are too cliquey.’

‘At Sure Start, you’re made to feel welcome, no strings, which put everybody equal…they always used to try and buddy up new mothers and a lot of family link workers used to bring a lot of new ones in. You don’t feel you were on your own.’

‘It was terrible. I walked in and they all gave you dirty looks. Looked at [me] like I was a down and out.’

‘I am quite a sociable person really, but it’s intimidating I find, going to a group where I don’t know anybody.’

‘You have got a few rough mothers who live in this area and it seemed like they went there.

Potty Training - Potty or Toilet?

2011-11-24T13:23:00.001Z

http://www.pottytraining.co.uk/huggies
Choosing whether to use a potty to start toilet training or go straight to the toilet really depends on how your toddler reacts. There are pros and cons for both choices.

Choosing to use a Potty:

Pros:
Handy and likely to be kept in the rooms where your toddler spends most of their time, so they can go to the 'potty' whenever the urge creeps up on them.
Small and manageable for your child
Can have multiple potties throughout the house
Portable
Your child can help you to choose it for them self and take some ownership of the potty.
Your child's feet will be touching the ground and this can make them feel more confident and comfortable.

Cons:
Can be messy when emptying contents into the toilet
Your child will still have to make the transition to the toilet eventually

Choosing to go straight to the toilet:

Pros:
Your toddler will already be familiar with you using the toilet
You make the transition to the toilet without the middle step of using a potty.
Easy to flush away the 'mess' rather than having to clean it out of the potty
Your toddler may feel more like a BIG KID by using the toilet like other members of the family.
Your toddler will not be so daunted about going to the toilet when out and about without their potty.
Toilet seat inserts are lightweight and portable.

Cons:
Can be daunting
Flushing can frighten some kids
Requires parental assistance to get on and off

Potty features to look for:

If you do choose to use a potty here are a few things to look out for when buying your potty.

It should be large enough for your child to sit comfortably on by themselves, potentially for quite a long time.
The most simple potty will be made of plastic and be lightweight with no additional parts. These can be cumbersome when emptying contents into the toilet, but they have the advantage of being smaller and more portable for outings etc.
Additional features are cup inserts that can be removed from the potty chair and emptied into the toilet separately. These cups often come with a 'boys cap' that provides some extra spill protection.
For boys who have already been training for a while, you can buy a 'potty for boys' that hangs on the side of the toilet allowing them to learn to wee standing up.
Of course there are potties with all the bells and whistles. Some of these look like a real toilet with flushing sounds or even play music when your child does a wee. Your child may respond well to all of these features, but you will still need to make the transition to a regular toilet at some point in the future.

Nursery Milk under review

2011-11-24T13:13:00.001Z

Nursery milk under review

Katy Morton, 22 November 2011, 12:12pm
http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/1105373/Nursery-milk-review/

The Government is to carry out a review of the free milk scheme for nursery children over fears of escalating costs to tax payers.

Mace Montessori in Camden

The announcement follows an internal Department of Health (DOH) audit that found ‘middlemen’, who act as a go-between for nurseries and arrange for dairies to deliver milk to settings and recover the cost from the Government, are claiming around double the amount of money they should be.

All under-fives attending nursery for two or more hours a day are entitled to 189ml of milk.
It is thought that a loophole in the system means that the Government is obliged to pay back the cost of nursery milk, regardless of the costs.

A spokesperson for the DOH said, ‘We are looking at how the free nursery milk scheme can deliver better value for money, because we are very concerned about the escalating costs.
‘One thing is clear though, the scheme will continue and every child will receive free nursery milk.’

John Sedgwick, managing director of Cool Milk, a school milk supplier, which works in partnership with over 70 local authorities to deliver free milk to under fives, said, ‘We recognise that in the present economic climate the Government has to find cost efficiencies where they can. However, we are confident that Cool Milk offers excellent value for taxpayers’ money in providing a service that is free to schools and nurseries.

‘School milk can be an administrative burden for schools, with money to collect from parents, deliveries to arrange and subsidy claims to prepare for the local authority. That’s why we partner with local authorities throughout the UK to deliver a service that makes providing school milk easier.

‘Any attempt to make savings by introducing nationally agreed contracts with dairies would simply shift this administrative burden onto the schools and nurseries themselves.
‘However, we welcome the Government’s announcement of a review into the scheme and we look forward to working with the Department of Health to investigate ways of making the present system more cost efficient.’

National Families Week - Funfilled Event !!

2011-05-20T19:40:00.001+01:00

Bamboo Childcare and Glo Family set to celebrate National Family Week at Glo Family Cheadle

Bring your family and join the fun!

Charity Family Fun Day

03 June 2011 10.30am – 12.30pm

98 Stockport Road, Cheadle, Stockport, SK8 2AJ.

National Family Week is back (30 May – 5 June 2011) and promises to be even bigger and better with a fun-filled week of activities, events, money saving offers and competitions for the whole family to enjoy. Now in its third year, National Family Week is the largest celebration of families and family life in the UK. This year over 6,000 family-friendly events and activities will take place all across the UK during the week and Bamboo Childcare and Glo Family are proud to be part of this great family initiative. On 03 June 2011 10.30am at Glo Family join us for a fun-packed day out in support of National Family Week 2011 and don’t miss out on this opportunity for a great day out with your nearest and dearest.

The average family spends just 49 minutes a day together according to a poll commissioned by National Family Week in 2010 so it’s time to shine the spotlight on spending time together as a family and highlight the importance of this. Bamboo Childcare and Glo Family would like to invite families from Manchester, Stockport and Cheshire to join us for a charity Fun day on Friday 3^rd June 10.30am – 12.30pm in the gorgeous gardens of Glofamily, Cheadle (If it rains the fun will reconvene in the studio). We will have a number of activities on offer during the a morning including Pyjama Drama, Little SuperStars, Face Painting, dance and summer craft activities.

Tickets are a steal at £2.50 per child with all proceeds going to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Home made biscuits and juice will be on offer for the children.

Please contact Bamboo Childcare on 08448225727or Glofamily on 0844 8007380 for further information or to book. Please note places are limited so book early!

Join us for some family fun and celebrate your family during National Family Week this year.

For more details on Our Charity Family Fun Day, to see what else is happening in your area and across the UK and to access huge giveaways, great competitions and loads of special offers, visit www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk.

Baby Opera

2011-05-17T21:33:00.000+01:00

Does the 'mozart effect' really exist. Recent research has claimed that exposing babies to music can boost IQ, improve health and strengthen family ties. Scottish Opera hope to research this further in their musical productions geared towards babies which are planned to be shown at the following venues:

Wythenshawe Forum and St John's Church Knutsford May 24 and May 25.
The Lyceum on Union Street, Oldham Saturday 28th May
Manchester International Festival from July 2-17 at Salford Quays.

The show is geared towards stimulating development through music, sound and live singing in 30 minute sessions.

For further information please read following link from Manchester Evening News

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1420880_opera-for-babies-to-open-at-manchester-international-festival

International Women's Day 100 year anniversay 8th March 2011

2011-03-08T12:02:00.000Z

Women in the UK face many challenges such as juggling work with childcare, balancing family life with worklife, social life with domestic duties, making the right decisions for childcare and education. Over the last 100 years these challenges have changed and women have gained so much, however that is not to say life is easier in the UK than it was then for women, just different.

International Women’s began in the early 1900s when women started to march and demonstrate to demand the rights, better working conditions and most memorably the suffragettes whom fought for the right to vote, hence the change in the opportunities, social standing and lifestyle of women in the UK.

We must use this day to celebrate the success of women but also to remind people that women are still unrepresented in some areas of business, are underpaid compared to men and in some industries do still experience inequality. Also across the world women are repressed and experience a lack of opportunity in terms of education and health and social care.

International Women’s Day is a means to ensure that the women of now and the future have even more opportunities both locally and internationally than we do today.

Manchester to cut services to sure start centres by 26% and commission services to Private and voluntary Sector

2011-02-24T21:54:00.000Z

Manchester City cpuncil is planning to save 26% of its budget for children's service by only allowing access to the children centres to some families rather than open access to all as is the current policy. They are also planning to remove all qualified teaching roles in the centres

The council is then planning to commission the centres out to the private and voluntary sector.

Do you take your toddlers to Restaurants?

2011-02-22T16:58:00.001Z

Taking young children out to a restaurant can be a stressful experience for the parents and also for the other diners without children. However parents perception of their toddlers behaviour is probably much worse than it actually is.

There are people who don't want to sit next to families, particularly fashion conscious 20 and 30-somethings working off a hangover," says father-of-three Peter Harden, publisher of Harden's Eating Out With Babies And Toddlers, which was co-produced by parenting website gurgle.com. So the advice is to try and choose your table carefully or ask the waiter/ waitress to find you a suitable table.

Top Tips for dining out with young children by Mumsnet Katie O'Donovan
Go to a restaurant that won't stress you or the kids out

Go when the toddlers are not too hungry
Take a stash of books or small quiet toys
Try and sit away from the romantic couples
There is safety in numbers
If your children cannot be quietened take them outside until calm is restored

Harden's top 11 for toddlers

Giraffe
Pizza Express
Carluccio's Caffe
Wagamama
Byron
Strada
Nando's
Jamie's Italian
Ask
Cafe Rouge
Zizzi
Based on survey of 8,000 restaurant-goers for baby food firm Plum and Harden's

Please complete our pole on whether you think toddlers should be able to dine in restaurants

Information gained from BBCnewsmagazine online

What are Forest Schools?

2011-02-10T11:17:00.000Z

' A Forest School is an innovative educational approach to outdoor play and learning.’

The philosophy of Forest Schools is to encourage and inspire individuals of any age through positive outdoor experiences.

A forest nursery is a type of preschool education for children between the ages of three and six that is held almost exclusively outdoors. Whatever the weather, children are encouraged to play, explore and learn in a forest or natural environment. The adult supervision is meant to assist rather than lead.

They can be described as a nursery without a ceiling or walls. The daycare staff and children spend their time outdoors, typically in a forest. A distinctive feature of forest nurseries is the emphasis on play with toys that are fashioned out of objects that can be found in nature, rather than commercial toys. Despite these differences, forest nurseries are meant to fulfill the same basic purpose as other nurseries, namely, to care for, stimulate, and educate young children.

Forest Schools have demonstrated success with children of all ages who visit the same local woodlands on a regular basis and through play, have the opportunity to learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and most importantly to use their own initiative to solve problems and co-operate with others. Forest Children use full sized tools, play, learn boundaries of behaviour; both physical and social, establish and grow in confidence, self-esteem and become self motivated.

***Bamboo Childcare currently have a level 3 Nursery Nursery role for a Forest School based near Guildford. Please send your cv to enquiries@bamboochildcare if you are interested alternatively visit our website and apply online at www.bamboochildcare.co.uk***

(http://www.forestschools.com/what-are-forest-schools.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_kindergarten)

Childcare places drop significantly

2011-02-06T14:38:00.000Z

More than 3,500 childcare places were lost in the last three months of 2010, according to the latest Ofsted statistics - more than three times the figure for the previous quarter.

According to the Registered Childcare Providers and Places report (see table in attachment, right), 562 nurseries opened and 652 nurseries closed between the end of September and the end of December 2010, leading to an overall loss of 90 settings and 3,133 childcare places.

This was mitigated by a small rise in the number of childminders, for the first time since Ofsted started publishing data a year ago showing the number of 'active' providers and a breakdown of the numbers of those joining and leaving the sector.

This is positive news for childminder numbers, which have been in decline for several years.

There are now 173 more people registered with Ofsted as currently working in childminding.Despite the rise, there are 521 fewer childminder places. This can be explained by the fact that childminders who left the sector in the previous quarter were providing more childcare places on average (4.5) than those childminders newly registered with Ofsted (3.5).

Overall, this means that there are now 3,632 fewer childcare places at the 30 December than at the end of September.

Ofsted also released statistics on the latest round of inspections, showing that just under seven in ten childcare providers achieved good or outstanding grades. There was also more than a 50 per cent drop in the number of inadequate childcare providers over the past 12 months.

Article by Catherine Gaunt

It is positive indication that providers of inadequate childcare provision are being closed down, however the reduction in childcare places is a significant problem where there is often an under supply already. This has a significant impact on families where both parents need to work in this economic climate. This may also mean that a rise in the requirement for nannies may be seen in the near future.

Nannies Salaries increased in 2010

2011-02-06T14:31:00.000Z

Thew annual survey completed by Nanny tax shows that in most of the country Nannies salaries have increased or stayed stable, including a 10% rise for live-out nannies based outside of London and the home counties. However, it appears that for the salary more is expected in return. Nannies are now working longer hours (up to 60 per week) and duties often involve housekeeping. There could be a possibility that families are making a cost saving by not employing a cleaner as this duties are taken on by the nanny..

The survey also highlighted that a Nanny is not just for the rich with 55% of families employing a nanny earning less than £70K, 38 per cent earning £50k or less and 18 per cent £30k or less. This is highlighting the fact that although employing nanny is not the cheapest form of childcare it is often the most convenient for the family.

The clear message from the nannytax latest survey presents is that although nannies may not always be the cheapest option for families, they remain the most viable one, providing families with the most options for their lifestyle, convenience and time. Flexibility remains the key attraction and can give willing nannies a distinct advantage, not only in terms of the hours they can work, but also in the added help and value they can provide. Employers may be prepared to pay a bit more in return for taking on duties in addition to childcare.

If a nanny is prepared to offer all this, she can prove herself an invaluable asset to the contemporary family who would be reluctant to lose her support. In an age of growing demand and convenience, for many families, nannies are still a benefit worth paying for.

Information from Tracey Neal Nannytax

Are you making the most of childcare vouchers?

2011-01-26T21:58:00.002Z

Half term is coming and for working parents with school aged children this can be both a logistical and financial concern.

According to a leading provider of childcare vouchers, parents are missing out on thousands of pounds of savings for after-school and holiday childcare.

Figures from Computershare Voucher Services (CVS) show that the majority of childcare vouchers are generally used on nursery care (68% on average each month) compared to 8% of parents who use the vouchers for afterschool care or activities.
Even during the summer months of July and August, very little voucher uptake was recorded for day time activities and holiday activities, which suggests many parents are not aware that vouchers can be used in this way and for children up until the age of 16.

For example did you realise that vouchers can be used for the following once your child has started school:

· Out of school clubs

· Childminder

· Nanny (if registered with Ofsted)

· Extra curricular activities

· Holiday clubs or schemes

· Activity holidays including Camp Beaumont, PGL and Supercamps.

Also thanks to new legislation introduced in 2008, schools that offer qualifying childcare can now accept Childcare Vouchers. This could include activities such as music lessons and sports clubs*, providing they are:

· invoiced separately to compulsory education fees

· taking place after school hours

· are not a part of the National Curriculum

· taking place on the premises that forms part of the school’s annual inspection.

With half term approaching please be mindful that there may be activities on offer, and childcare options available where vouchers can be utilised, so don’t miss out!

*In England only.

Mothers Instinct

2010-11-03T13:03:00.000Z

Bamboo Childcare are exhibiting at Manchester and Cheshires premier baby show 'Mother's Instinct' on Sunday 28th November 12pm - 5pm.

The show takes place at The Waterside Hotel in Didsbury. Entry is free and open to everyone - there will be retail stalls from the area's leading businesses with fantastic offers, competitions and promotional discounts on the day, plenty of entertainment for the kids and a centre piece catwalk activity centre showcasing several live demonstrations. And of course we'll be there too so come along and say helloo!!

Emergency Childcare

2010-09-08T13:08:00.000+01:00

There's nothing more important than the safety of your child, so when you or your spouse has something come up at the last minute, or your child is not able to attend school or nursery a go-to list of emergency providers is incredibly important when you're short on time.

The first thing you need to do is make a list of the people closest to you that you know and trust. Call those people and ask them if they'd be willing to watch your kids in an emergency. Planning ahead and compiling a list will make a last minute engagement or emergency much less stressful because you'll already have a good idea of who will be there to watch your child. However, not everyone has friends or relatives that are able to help you at short notice. Bamboo Childcare can offer you suitably qualified and checked Nannies at short notice. We will endeavour to deal with your request whatever the time 7 days per week and can find you a suitable childcarer from a period of four hours to a week.

If you have an immediate need for childcare or just require more information about our services do not hesitate to contact us on 08448225727.

Bamboo Childcare visit new Nursery in Openshaw

2010-09-07T12:43:00.000+01:00

We were pleased to attend the Open day of Yournursery ltd in Openshaw on Saturday 4th September.

The Nursery is provides a wonderful nurturing and stimulating environment for children in so many respects. The rooms are large and airy whilst still maintaing a 'warm' feeling that children need. The equipment available is great with everything from an indoor tree house to soft areas for sleep and relaxing. Sue has also put a lot of thought into the physical needs of children such as, providing toilets that are of different sizes, so they can be used by toddlers just starting toilet training to children of pre-school age.

We are pleased to have supported Sue with her staffing needs and wish her all the best for the nursery over the coming months and years.

If you require more information about the nursery or would like to enquire about places please contact sue Moore on 0161 220 7662 or enquiries@yournurseryltd.co.uk

'Babies do not suffer when mothers go back to work' study reveals

2010-08-02T14:39:00.000+01:00

A study by the Society for Research into Child Development has concluded that when mothers return to work months after having a child their babies’ wellbeing is not adversely affected.

The outcome of this report is welcomed by the many women such as myself and my business partner Hayley Knowles, who have struggled with the guilt of returning to work after having children, particularly as other research has informed us that returning to work may negatively effect our children's development. Once my first child had settled into nursery I knew that I had made the right decision to return to work and now my second son also enjoys his time there. I believe that their development has been enhanced due to the provision at the nursery they attend and with a part-time nanny they get excellent care..

The key to happy and well rounded children seems to be good quality childcare, whether it be at home with parents/carers or a nanny or outside provision with a childminder or a nursery.

Eleanor Patel

New Nursery Provison in Openhaw 'Your Nursery Ltd' Opens 6th September 2010

2010-07-23T13:51:00.001+01:00

Bamboo Childcare are pleased to be working in partnership with 'Your Nursery Ltd' by providing quality childcare professionals to the nursery. Your Nursery Ltd will open its doors on 6th September 2010 and is based in Openshaw, Manchester.

The nursery will be open from 7.00am - 7.00pm Monday to Friday and also offers a before and after school service and a school holiday provision.Sue Moore founder of Your Nursery Ltd writes the following about her nursery “Our service works within equality & special needs policies, treating each child with equal concern. Activities and routines are planned to enable the individual needs of the children to be met, within ‘The Early Years Register’ for the care of babies and children aged 0 – 5 years old, including The Early Years Foundation Stage.
The compulsory part of the childcare register for care of 5 – 8 year olds & the voluntary register for care of children between 8 – 18 years old.
Our team of dedicated childcare workers have been hand picked (supported by Bamboo Childcare) to give the best possible care and education for the babies and children who attend ‘Your Nursery Limited’ they are passionate about their jobs and career paths, whilst progressing on their own professional development & Qualified to exceptional levels in childcare & early years.
Children are admitted to places within availability, following discussion with parents to ensure that the service offered meets the needs of the family.”

For more information about the nursery or to book a place for your child, please call Sue Moore on 07763530149 or email enquiries@yournurseryltd.co.uk

How to solve the issue of lack of childcare over the summer holidays.

2010-07-18T18:42:00.000+01:00

Research completed by the national childcare charity daycare trust has reported that there is a significant lack of childcare available over the holiday period. Only 20% of Local Authority family information services stated that they had sufficient childcare provision and 63% said that parents had complained about the lack of service.

Finding childcare that fits around work commitments during the school term can be difficult enough, but the holiday season can cause a logistical nightmare for many families. To help you solve this problem Bamboo Childcare are able to provide temporary nannies over the summer holiday period. Whether you need a Nanny full time for a few weeks or just a few sessions we can help. A nanny provided by Bamboo Childcare will be fully referenced and CRB checked.

For more information contact us on 08448225727

Glo Family

2010-07-09T13:55:00.000+01:00

Bamboo Childcare had the pleasure to attend the opening day of Glo Family in Cheadle. Glo family is an alternative children's play centre. The building is a beautifully converted church in Cheadle, when you enter a you feel a sense of calm, instead of the usual mayhem of 'soft play' centres. There is a cafe area serving freshly made food with a huge wooden pirate ship and a sensory room. The large garden is lovely with planting areas, a hammock and a large chess set.
There are a number of studio rooms for various classes for parents and children including fitness, health and wellbeing and children's activities, such as pyjama drama, Rhythm time and children’s yoga.
My two children aged 3.5years and 18months had a fun filled morning whilst I managed to sit and chat and enjoy the surroundings.
For more information visit their website http://www.glofamily.com/

How the Budget will effect families

2010-06-27T06:42:00.005+01:00

Below is a summary of the budget changes that relate directly to families with young children:

•Families earning more than £40,000 will have their tax credits reduced.

•Benefits, tax credits and public service pensions will increase in line with consumer prices rather than the retail price index.

•Child benefit will be frozen for the next three years.
•Lone parents expected to look for work when their first child goes to school.

•Housing benefit will be limited to a maximum of £400 per week for a four-bedroom house.
•Two year council tax freeze.
•The child element of child tax credit will rise by £150 above inflation next year.
•Sure start maternity grant will go to the first child only.

source: John Bolche family lore.

Vetting and Barring Scheme suspended

2010-06-18T20:54:00.000+01:00

The Vetting and Barring Scheme for nine million people working with children and vulnerable adults has been halted so that a review can be carried out for a more measured approach, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced today.

Voluntary registration with the VBS for new employees and people changing jobs was due to start on 26 July. This registration has now been stopped.
The scheme will now be scaled back to more common-sense levels, the Government said, amid concerns that it was disproportionate and infringed on civil liberties.
The Home Office will be in charge of remodelling the scheme with the Department for Education and the Department of Health. Details are being finalised and will be announced shortly.
Mrs May said, ‘We’ve listened to the criticisms and will respond with a scheme that has been fundamentally remodelled. Vulnerable groups must be properly protected in a way that is proportionate and sensible. This redrawing of the VBS will ensure this happens.
The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will continue to maintain the lists of those people who are barred from working with children and adults.
Current requirements for Criminal Records Bureau checks will continue to apply. New safeguarding regulations introduced in October 2009 also remain current.