Jenny

I will give you a ring next week to see if our experiences are of any help.

Regards

Dawn Steel

HR Manager

The Open University

 

-----Original Message-----
From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jenny Woodhouse
Sent: 23 November 2006 15:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: When titans meet in childcare funding - salary sacrifice vs early years education funding

 

Dear colleagues

We are struggling with the conflict generated by two government initiatives.  I'll have to set out the problem at some length, so if it is not an issue that affects you, please don't feel you have to read on ...

We operate a salary sacrifice scheme for staff using our workplace nurseries - this is more beneficial than childcare vouchers since it permits parents to pay all their nursery fees net of tax.  As we understand it, salary sacrifice under this provision has to be governed by rather rigid rules and timescales - the arrangement has to be entered into for a whole year and not varied unless there is a 'major lifestyle change'.   (Our voucher provider has no difficulty making changes monthly, but I believe that this is under a different subsection of whatever the regs are)>

This causes problems in relation to children aged 3+ who are entitled to early years education (which of course is limited to school terms and school hours therefore less than a normal nursery year) which has to be free at the point of delivery.  Ideally nursery fees should be adjusted to achieve this objective; but we have not yet found a workable way of doing this in the case of those who pay their fees by salary sacrifice.  Things are complicated by parents changing their nursery hours, as well as the natural change of staff leaving and joining the University or the nursery mid-year.

Has anybody any experience of dealing with this that they would be willing to share with us and with the Daycare Trust consultant who is looking at the problem for us?  If so I'd be grateful if you could contact our Childcare Manager, Sue Davis ([log in to unmask]).

Jenny

 

Jenny Woodhouse
Equality and Diversity Policy Officer
University of Cambridge Personnel Division
The Old Schools
Cambridge CB2 1TN
01223 332344

Please note that I work part-time.  My normal working days are Tuesdays, Wednesday mornings and Thursdays.