CHILDREN should get free places at private nurseries as well as at States ones.
That was the overwhelming view of the Islanders who attended a consultation evening on the topic this week.
During the evening Islanders were asked to think about what they believe to be the fairest way to provide care and education to three- and four-year-olds to remove the ‘postcode lottery’ system that is currently in place.
Given four options, the majority felt that the best way forward would be for the States to invest in a partnership between the public and private nursery organisations.
Although it was not discussed how many free hours of care children would be given each week, the scheme would mean that the States would pay some of the fees of children at private nurseries.
Article posted on 5th July, 2008 - 10.00am
11 Article Comments
The issue is that some parents get free nursery for their children, others don’t. This is not right ! maybe no normal family unit should receive free nursery and one of the parents should give up work to look after their very important offspring. Lets have a look at what parents get as standard these days.
Single people and others, through their taxes, contribute to paternity leave, probation and support services, new schools, teachers, universities, special children’s wards in hospitals, Paediatrician’s specialist nurses and support staff, dentistry, school bus travel, child allowance, extra benefits for single parents whom through personal choice feel it’s their right to have children, but not pay for them (very different issue from the divorced or widowed). It’s an expensive life and very natural for a couple to have children and enjoy parenthood. It’s reasonable that the joy of parenthood also equates to a different lifestyle, but do parents expect all the trimmings they had before?
Why is it that parents in the work place unlike their colleagues who have chosen not have children, get the best holiday times, i.e. when their kids are on summer holidays so we must take holidays during July or August peak summer also the special xmas schools break. Further, workers are constantly having to cover for parents not coming into work because the children need care, illness etc, which of course is the parents first duty. It does mean single colleagues have to do their own job and cover that of the absent parent, where is the fairness in that ? Do parents make up the time off at a later date in reciprocation ? is there financially reward for the hardworking colleague for the extra work load ?
Fewer holidays, a simple cheap car to run, a parent giving up work, why because you have planned ahead and want to enjoy your children, or is it the case that the standard of living experienced before the children came along must be funded by those that really have nothing to do with your family but everything to do with its financial wellbeing. All parents expect free nursery, ………………. why ?
The states should introduce a tax rebate system allowing for so many hours free a year. Simply enhance the current rebate system and we could have subsidised places now!!! In St Ouen, we qualify for no free places at all under the current system. It is totally unfair.
I agree with Davy West.People should not have children until they can afford to look after them.
If you can’t afford to have a child, don’t have one.
Why should I pay for your offspring to have a place at nursery? Unless the ‘free money’ is distributed to all to spend as they please, there is no reason to subsidise - there are already far too many allowances being dished out to all and sundry.
I completely agree with Steve but would add that parents should be taxed even higher than single people. After all, by increasing the population you are putting more cars on the road, creating more stress in the housing market and putting even more stress on the resources of an already overpopulated planet, not to mention all the polution…. you are ruining the environment! stop breeding! Think of the world around you! The green places are disappearing fast because of all the houses needed for your brats! You are the first to complain about high house prices, but you understand it’s supply and demand that keeps those prices high. I am so angry that people are encourged to breed when really we should only be offering money to those who agree to be sterilised!
I agree, if you can’t afford one don’t have one.
These people demanding free nursery places should have thought about it before having children, if they cannot afford to look after them properly then why expect the tax payer to? dont have them in the first place,
Children are our future and whether you have any or not they are the working force of tomorrow. The better start they have in life the better for us all.
We should see any tax money going towards helping all children to have the same start in life as not a negetive thing but part of being a contributing caring community.
Of course their are selfish people out there who probably shouldn’t be parents and who expect handouts instead of working, but at the end of the day it’s not the childrens fault.
Children should be cherished and looked after by their parents and society. I don’t mind my taxes going towards that rather than the nasty waterfront extention that has ruined the Islands character for ever.
Has any one of the contributors to the ‘me, me, me’ argument thought about the longer term view?
Fast forward a few years when you’ve finished working and so no longer paying tax or contributions, who do you think is going to pay for the hospital to run (which you will no doubt avail yourself of as you get older), pay for the Island’s infrastructure to be maintained (which you will no doubt write to the JEP and complain about if it is not to your liking)…mmm…let’s see, might it just be the next generation. And if you think that your current contributions are going to cover your future burden on the State then you need to redo your sums.
You’re right that single people may well be paying for a whole bunch of services that they don’t currently use, but may well benefit from in later life, ie. the kids that you are paying to help support now, will be paying taxes to support services for you in the future.
Whether you like it or not you are part of a community, with taxpayers paying for the community as a whole, not just the bits of it that they use. If you want to go to a purely ‘user pays’ structure then you better start saving for your future.
Well said Charlotte.I can’t believe the selfish views of the above comments..all men too..funny that.
We’re they not once children themselves eh??
I agree fully with Charlotte and for those of you who said if you can’t afford one don’t have one!!!! I suggest you go and speak with your parents. Maybe they shouldn’t have had any children.