Thursday 3 October 2013

Where is our Childcare?

Funding decision set to force parents out of work and onto benefits.  See below, blog written by Amanda Bradley:

There are well over 200 after school clubs in Birmingham catering for working families,  if they do not have disabled children.  We are asking Birmingham City Council to ensure that European funding made available to support access to employment and inclusion, fills the gap in specialist childcare. If the city council invest in specialist childcare provision to remove barriers to OUR employment they will save TEN times their investment in reduced benefits.

Please sign our  petition and join us in Kings Heath on Saturday 5th October 12.30 pm to 2 pm outside the new Baptist Church opposite ASDA 80 High St Kings Heath Birmingham, B14 7JZ  - Please see event on facebook
Children's area and free refreshments available
  
Parks for Play is a charity that has set up the 1st & ONLY specialist childcare provision in this city. The provision called Playwell, because it delivers play very well, runs from Uffculme school in Moseley. It offers high quality childcare to families with disabled children that need to work, study or commit time to siblings .  Families pay standard childcare fees which do not cover running costs because we need higher numbers of staff to cater for our children. Parks for Play works to raise the shortfall, keeping fees affordable & equitable by continuously applying for grants.

This year our expected  funding has been frozen for 6 months. This will result in 20 families not being able to stay in their jobs & a 2nd specialist provision in Handsworth not opening. We are waiting for FLEXIBLE SUPPORT FUND which Job Centre Plus district managers can use flexibly to best meet the needs of the local population. One in four families in this city has a child with an additional need. 2013 CAF Holiday Childcare Survey says 79% of families with disabled children not in work cited  insufficiently specialist childcare as the barrier. 

We ARE the local population and we would like to work, to study and have childcare when we need it.

Blog by Amanda Bradley Parks for Play chair

Please sign our petition on


Parks for Play
2 Vicarage Road
Kings Heath B14 7RA

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