Boris' baby needs childcare too warn nurseries crowdfunding to survive

The birth of the Prime Minister's baby may finally mean Boris Johnson starts to recognise “what we do as a sector”, a childcare chief has said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's fiancé Carrie Symonds has given birth to a baby boy. Credit: Bart Lenoir/ Shutterstock

Nurseries which have stayed open during the coronavirus lockdown to care for vulnerable children and the children of key workers, have been crowdfunding to pay their bills, including the nursery group London Early Years Foundation (LEYF).

Having kept some of its nurseries across London open, these settings are caring for far fewer children than they would normally and are receiving less money from parents while their outgoings remain.

In a blog written before the arrival of the Prime Minister’s baby, June O’Sullivan, chief executive of LEYF Nurseries, wrote: “Perhaps when Boris has his new baby and needs childcare he will finally begin to realise what we do as a sector and how we operate as an essential business”.

LEYF raises £26,646 in crowdfunding

“This is the time for a public conversation about the fact that childcare is part of our infrastructure. It is the 4th emergency service – a point that took our Secretary of State for Education a long time to recognise.

“The schools are in a much better place – their staff get paid no matter what. They have been given extra emergency funds and additional resources and mostly some great recognition.

"No one is complaining that so many of them are shut, including the maintained nursery schools. Contrast this with us having to rely on goodwill and donations?"

"In just one week, we went from earning fees from over 1,300 children to just 168.”

A total of £26,646 has been raised for LEYF Nurseries, to date (29 April), out of a £50,000 stretch target.

'Business has to find ways to survive'

June O'Sullivan blogged “Business has to find ways to survive and thrive in an uncertain financial climate and that is a bigger challenge for a social enterprise which is focused on delivering a social purpose; in our case high quality childcare.

"As a social enterprise we are not highly leveraged or carrying lots of reserves. Once the cash is gone, there is no money."

LEYF is not alone when it comes to setting up a crowdfunding page, Stonesfield Pre-school and Daycare in Witney, Oxfordshire has appealed to the public for help to save the pre-school.

On its crowdfunding page, Stonesfield Pre-school Committee said: “Stonesfield Pre-school will unfortunately be closing its doors in a matter of weeks if we do not raise enough money to save it!!!

“We have been working hard over the last few months to rectify the financial situation but we are running out of options." The nursery has raised £4,270 to date (29 April) and has a £5,000 target.

The committee told the public: “We desperately need your support to raise a large amount of money to fund the preschool through this terrible time.”

Nurseries are still reeling from the shock of the government’s U-turn decision not to allow childcare providers to use its furlough scheme as well as claim funding for three and four-year-olds and disadvantaged two-year-olds.

Omnipresence Nursery in Northampton is another setting that has received public support. A crowdfunding page has been set up by parents Tacita Foster and Ellie Milton-White. They are appealing for £6,000 to help keep the nursery running for key worker parents’ children and vulnerable children.

Most of the nursery’s parents, who are self-employed, have stopped trading and are unable to pay the nursery.

As the nursery works to meet its outgoing costs, the crowdfunding page, which has raised £1,672 to date (29 April) states: 'The nursery currently remains open to support the children of the key workers however with only some children attending. The outgoings for the nursery still continue, they still need to pay rent, and overheads but without enough incoming fees, their future is at risk.'