The Jersey Early Years Association, which represents private early years providers, has called on Education Minister Rod Bryans to suspend the planned cuts until their impact on parents and nursery owners is fully understood.
From September 2017 households with a combined income of £75,000 or more will no longer be entitled to 20 hours a week free care at private nurseries for their children, in the year before they start school.
Currently, all families of three- and four-year-olds, regardless of household income, have the right to the free hours under the Nursery Education Fund and at a hearing of the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel this week the minister conceded that his department had not undertaken full analysis of what the repercussions on parents and private nurseries might be following the cuts.
