Amendment on free nursery care funding voted down

Families in Jersey will still be required to pay nursery fees upfront before claiming reimbursement from the government, after States Members rejected a bid to overhaul the funding system.

Under the government’s draft budget, parents of children aged two to three are entitled to 15 hours of free early-years education. However, instead of funding going directly to childcare providers, families must pay the bills themselves and later apply for repayment.

Deputy Inna Gardiner proposed an amendment calling for an additional £137,000 so the States could pay nurseries directly, arguing this would ease pressure on families. Her plan also included raising the hourly funding rate from £11 to £11.50, a figure she described as a “minimum workable compromise” for providers. After a lengthy debate, the amendment was defeated.

The government has asked nurseries to accept £11 per hour, but the Jersey Early Years Association has repeatedly warned the rate is not viable for most of its members. The group said the proposed £11.50 rate would have made participation possible for many providers.

Speaking in the Assembly, Gardiner said the uplift would have supported high-quality childcare, reduced administrative burdens, and—most importantly—removed the need for parents to find hundreds of pounds each month before claiming it back.

“This isn’t about profit, it’s about viability,” she said. “Parents should not have to pay upfront and wait for reimbursement. For many families, that’s simply not realistic.”

Education Minister Deputy Rob Ward welcomed the amendment’s defeat. While acknowledging some nurseries’ concerns about the £11 rate, he argued that Gardiner’s proposal would not have solved the issue of upfront payments and would have delayed the scheme’s rollout.

“The more we explore paying parents directly, the more flexibility it gives families to choose the childcare that suits them,” Ward said. “It’s a straightforward system, and we can make it work.”

Some States Members voiced doubts about the scheme’s future, warning that failing to reach agreement with nursery providers could undermine the policy. Ward dismissed those concerns as “politicking,” insisting the initiative would still succeed.

Among parents in St Helier, the proposed system drew mixed reactions.

Georgia Hebert, mother to a one-year-old, said paying upfront would be a challenge. “I need a job before I can send him to nursery, but I’d rather place him first and then find work that fits around it,” she said.

Another parent, Sarah Casey, said reclaiming the fees would not pose a problem for her, though she acknowledged some families she knew were struggling to meet the initial costs.

Tracey Barnes, who has young twins, felt the government should focus on securing direct funding for nurseries. Many parents she has spoken to at her playgroup, she said, would prefer the money to go straight to providers. She welcomed the 15 hours of free childcare as “a really good start,” but said more support would be needed in future.

“It makes a huge difference for children who aren’t currently in childcare,” she said. “Investing in early development is vital.”