The government’s extended childcare policy is beginning today – but it starts amid warnings of a lack of funding and not enough staff to fulfil the pledge.
From today, eligible parents and carers of two-year-olds will be entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare per week.
It is the first part of a £8bn package – announced at the 2023 budget – that the government hopes will save “working parents” an average of £3,450 a year and help boost the workforce and the economy.
While welcomed by parents, it has already come under criticism from providers and the opposition.
Labour has highlighted Ofsted data suggesting more than 1,000 childcare places were lost between March and December 2023, despite the expected uptick in demand.
And the Early Years Alliance (EYA), which represents providers of childcare, says services will struggle and fees may need to go up.
The 1 April changes mark the start of a staggered rollout, with the plan being that working parents of all children nine months and over will get 15 hours of free childcare from September this year, rising to 30 hours a year later.
Labour’s attack included a so-called “dossier of childcare chaos”, which lays out concerns such as parents complaining of high costs, long waiting lists, and nurseries warning they could go bust.
The dossier from Labour said: “The Conservatives’ childcare pledge without a plan announced at the 2023 Budget is threatening to crash the childcare system just like the Conservatives crashed the economy.”
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “After 14 years of Tory failure, it will be Labour who get on with the job and finally deliver the much-needed childcare for parents.
“That is why we have commissioned respected former Ofsted Inspector Sir David Bell to lead a review on early education and childcare to guarantee early years entitlements for parents.
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