SAVE OUR NURSERIES

This campaign was launched in 2006 in response to the Code of Practice 2004/2006 (CofP), on the Provision of the Free Nursery Education places for 3 and 4 year olds, which underpins the delivery of the free entitlement and supports the government pledge of 'a choice for parents and the best start for children'.

The impact of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Code of Practice is far reaching:

- By stipulating how privately run businesses should operate

- By affecting the long term sustainability of Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) providers as well as Child minders

- By forcing the PVI sector to deliver the first 15 free hours of Nursery Care & Education for less than the actual cost

- Through the implementation of the Early Years Single Funded Formula (EYSFF)

- With implications to the Early Years Provision within the Maintained Sector through reduction in funding when the EYSFF is implemented.

This will affect quality and parental choice.

All Nursery Education Providers wholeheartedly support the Governments initiative to lift children out of deprivation by providing high quality Early Years Education for three and four year olds.

Save Our Nurseries values:

Quality 

We support the Government policy of ‘Quality Provision’ for all children. We acknowledge and embrace that quality goes beyond paper qualifications of staff, by recognising the importance of experience, dedication and natural aptitude, as well as all levels of continued professional development. These attributes should work together with a carefully prepared enabling environment to meet the needs of each unique child.

Flexibility

We support the Government vision of a best start for all children and choice for parents through flexible quality provision. By ensuring that the individuality, ethos and vision of each provision are maintained, the choice for parents in each community will remain varied and diverse. We strive to meet the needs of parents and children whilst ensuring that provisions remain independent and sustainable.
 

Reducing Deprivation

We are committed to supporting the Government vision in lifting all children out of deprivation, through sustainable high quality care and education. In addition, each provider will continue identifying and supporting those children and families in our own communities. Our support at times, goes beyond financial consideration, whilst always keeping the child at the heart of our objectives.
 
Our goal is to ensure that the implementation of the DCSF Code of Practice is suspended until a full and independent assessment can be made into the impact on sustainability of every setting. This will be the only way to develop a sustainable and fair system of Early Education Funding.

We call on early education providers, parents, MPs, MEPs, Councillors and anyone seeking the best for children, to Support Our Cause.

WE BELIEVE IN A SURE START FOR CHILDREN, NOT A SURE END FOR NURSERY PROVIDERS