Concern as nursery demands full fees despite being closed during pandemic

Some parents, whose children attend Best Childcare Nursery in Chapeltown, are calling on bosses to pledge not to continue charging full fees during the shutdown because of coronavirus.

On March 20, all schools and nurseries across the UK closed ‘until further notice’ in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

However, to make sure some ‘key workers’ could continue with their jobs as normal, the government said that these people would still be able to send their children to school or nursery.

Over 20 parents have come together to demand bosses change tack, and cut or scrap fees due to the close-down.

One parent, John Hughes, 37, said he and 40 other parents have come together to urge a rethink.

In a joint letter, sent to the nursery, and seen by The Yorkshire Post , the parent group said they are keen "to support the nursery in a fair and reasonable way" but given the shutdown and some parents themselves not being paid, a rethink should be in order.

"There would be little rationale to continue to pay full fees if receiving nothing in return," the letter said.

Mr Hughes said he is still required to pay £60 a day despite his child not attending the nursery.

"This is scandalous, the nursery is not budging an inch," he said.

The parent group are concerned that they must continue to make full payments, or risk losing places when they fully reopen.

Nationally nurseries that are continuing families to pay full fees, despite being closed to all but children of essential workers, have been accused of trying to profit from the coronavirus crisis.

The issue has been raised in a letter to the government by Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat education spokesperson and leadership candidate.

Ms Moran wrote to education secretary Gavin Williamson to offer enough financial support to ensure child care institutions can survive the crisis without continuing to charge full fees.

“Families should not be pushed into unnecessary hardship by having to pay fees for nurseries that are closed,” said Mrs Moran.

“Nurseries provide a vital leg of our welfare state – giving children the best start in life and helping parents get out to work.

“But the government’s efforts [during the pandemic] have not stopped nurseries from begging parents to pay fees of more than £1,000 a month.

"They know that if they don’t get the money, they won’t stay afloat."

Paused payments by many Yorkshire nurseries include Cliffe House Day Nursery, in Horsforth, all Twinkles, Busy bees and Kinderhaven Nurseries across Yorkshire, Meanwood's Angels Nursery, and Shadwell Childcare.

While reduced fees of up to 25 per cent will be applied across others such as Holly House in Chapel Allerton, Oakwood's Little Acorns and Yorkshire Montessori nursery, Roundhay.

Nicola Best, the director for Best Family Childcare Ltd, said in a statement to The Yorkshire Post: "We are currently continuing to provide outstanding childcare and support a group of key worker families".

She added: "As a company we have been and will continue to take all reasonable and measured steps to reduce the financial impact to parents and ensure sustainability.

"This includes initiating a significant reduction in their childcare fees in line with some other Nurseries remaining open across the country.

"However, many nurseries have closed their doors to key worker families but are still requiring parents to pay a percentage of fees.

"We have not and would not profiteer from providing outstanding childcare".

When asked by The Yorkshire Post how much the nursery would be reducing the nursery's childcare fees Best Family Childcare Ltd declined to comment.