Jersey to introduce fees at its state-run nurseries

Jersey is planning to start charging parents to use its state-run nurseries.

The Minister for Education, Sport and Culture Deputy James Reed said he planned to make parents of pre-school age children pay for 10 hours a week care.

The move is designed to make the system fairer for parents whose children attend private nurseries because there are not enough places at state ones.

They receive 20 hours a week of free care, but have to pay the difference.

Announcing the change in the States, Deputy Reed said: "Only 50% of parents could access this [State] pre-school provision and so a decision was taken to try and address this inequality."