This summer, Childcare Offer for Wales will be conducting their annual survey of childcare providers and parents in Wales.

This year, the survey will be released slightly earlier than usual and will include a section focusing on top-up fees, additional charges, and mandatory charging.

Top-Up Fees: This is when a parent is told by their chosen setting that they do not receive enough funding to deliver the Childcare Offer, and the parent is asked to contribute to the hourly charge through a top-up.

Additional Charges: This is when a parent is subjected to additional charges that are not stipulated as permissible within the policy guidance.

Mandatory Charges: This is when a parent who wishes to access their childcare entitlement is mandated to pay non-funded childcare at the start, middle, or end of the session. We have heard that parents are not being given any choice in this charging model.

There has been an increase in correspondence, suggesting that these practices are becoming more common resulting in inconsistent application of the current guidance across Wales. Parents who apply for the Offer should reasonably expect to access their core funded hours without top-up or additional/mandatory charges. We expect that parents and their chosen settings have an open dialogue and mutually understand what charges may apply, allowing parents to make informed childcare choices.

The survey will ask settings and parents several questions to build a picture of where in Wales these practices are happening and if they are more prolific in terms of geography, setting type, or size.  The information gathered through this work will help us better understand the impact on parents and providers and will help inform future policy decisions.

Whilst the survey will seek views of settings and parents, we will also be engaging with Local Authorities as our delivery partners to also help shape a Wales wide picture.