Concerns raised at private nurseries staying closed and furloughing staff in Hertfordshire

Concerns have been raised about nurseries that are continuing to furlough staff – rather than re-open to children.

At a meeting of Hertfordshire County Council on Tuesday (July 21), Liberal Democrat Cllr Mark Watkin said there were families who could not return to work, because nurseries remained closed – with staff furloughed.

And he shared a message he had received that morning from a parent who wrote: ‘Nurseries won’t take my kids because it makes more financial sense to keep their staff furloughed. This is nuts – how do we re-start the economy?’

Cllr Watkin suggested that this may not be an uncommon practice amongst nurseries in the county.

And he asked for the county council to establish both how significant this was and what harm it may be causing.

He said: “. . . I am understanding that this is not an uncommon issue – that nurseries are actually taking the furlough approach, rather than looking to provide education for our young people, hence stopping families from getting back to work.”

At the meeting executive member for education, localism and libraries Cllr Terry Douris said he was aware of the issue,

But he said that although the county council had had ‘conversations’ with a number of nurseries, their influence was limited.

That’s because the majority of nurseries across the county are private, voluntary or independent owned (known as PVIs) and not operated by the county council.

“I am aware of the situations that you have identified and I am also aware that we have had conversations with some of these over the last four or five months,” said Cllr Douris.

“It is a situation I am uncomfortable with and I am very happy to take further initiatives to see if we can actually persuade those PVIs that have actually furloughed staff and closed their doors to children just, if you like, to reflect on that and think again.”

Cllr Douris committed to do his best to get clear facts as what proportion of nurseries are taking this approach. But he said he was not sure whether that information would be available.