The following is City of York’s (CYC’s) Complaints process for:

• who to contact if you have a concern about a childcare provider or wish to make a complaint about a childcare provider
• parents or carers who are not satisfied that their child has received the early education funding to which their child is entitled, or
• providers to appeal against issues relating to the administering of the early education funding

Raise a concern or complaint about a childcare provider

Ofsted registers, regulates and inspects childcare for children aged from birth to 17 years.

Registered childcare providers and childminders have to meet requirements in the early years foundation stage statutory
framework and/or the Childcare Register. These requirements relate to welfare and safety, the people providing the care and
the organisation of the childcare. Childcarers registered on the Early Years Register, who care for children aged from birth until 31 August following a child’s fifth birthday, also have to meet requirements for children’s learning and development.

What you can tell us:

• is the childcare good?
• can it be made better?
• do you have any concerns?

If you want to tell us anything about your child’s childcare, you can write to us:

Or email: [email protected].

If you have a concern or complaint, you can telephone: 0300 123 4666.

For more information, search for ‘Guides for parents: how early years settings are inspected.' Further information about Ofsted's complaints procedures can be found on the government website.

Early Education funding

Children aged 9 months and over who meet eligibility criteria, are entitled to a funded early education place, consisting of up to 15 hours per week, for 38 weeks of the year.

Working families may also be eligible for a further 15 hours in addition of the universal 15 hours entitlement, if they meet certain eligibility criteria. These places are available in all settings that are registered to provide funded Early Years provision and can be with nurseries, playgroups, childminders, maintained nursery schools, nursery classes in primary schools or out of school clubs.

See the Childcare Choices website for full details on eligibility.

I don’t think my provider is offering my child their full Early Education funded place

For parents and carers, in the first instance you should always contact the providers concerned to discuss the problem and if necessary go through the provider’s internal complaints' procedure to try and resolve the problem. However, if you're not happy with the outcome then you can raise a complaint to City of York Council, through the following process:

All complaints will be dealt with fairly, swiftly and courteously and be given equal importance.

Childcare provider appeal against issues relating to the administration of funding

If you feel that there is an issue regarding the funding you expect to have received submit your concerns to the Early Years and Childcare Programme Reforms Lead. Follow the below appeals process.

First Stage

This appeal must be made in writing to:

You can expect them to respond to your query within 10 working days. However, if the problem is going to take longer to resolve you will receive an interim reply telling you a date by which you can expect a full response.

Parents and carers will need to provide the following information:

• full name and date of birth of the child concerned
• name and address of the provider where the child attends. If your child attends more than one provider please give details of all providers where your child attends
• total funding received at all providers for the term concerned
• full details of the nature of the complaint

Providers will need to provide the following information:

• full name and date of birth of the child concerned
• name and address of any other setting that you are aware the child attends
• total funding claimed and total received for the child concerned
• full details of the nature of the complaint
• signed parental declaration form relating to the child concerned

Second Stage

If they are unable to find a solution or you're still not satisfied with the response, then the matter will be referred to the Early Education Funding (EEF) Advisory Group, an independent group with representation from the Private, Voluntary and Independent sector for their consideration at an Appeals meeting.

The parent or provider will be able to attend the meeting or they can choose to have the appeal presented to the group by the Early Years and Childcare Programme Reforms Lead

Assessment by an independent body

You can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman, an independent organisation which will investigate any sort of complaint about the council. But they will only do this after you have been through all of the stages of the council’s complaints procedure. The contact details are:

Telephone: 024 7682 0000, fax: 024 7682 0001 and email: [email protected].