Julian has welcomed the rollout of the largest ever expansion of childcare in England’s history with eligible working parents of two-year-olds now able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week.
Currently, families in England with children aged three to four-years-old are eligible for 30 hours of free childcare for 38 weeks of the year – a total of 1,140 hours per year.
However, from this week, the Government has extended the childcare package so that eligible working parents of two-year-olds can now access 15 hours of childcare support per week.
This is just phase one, however, and from September parents with children from the age of nine months until they start school will be able to benefit from 15 hours of free childcare per week. In September next year, this will be expanded again so that parents of children under five will benefit from 30 hours of free childcare per week.
In addition to delivering the largest ever childcare expansion, 96 per cent of early education providers are now rated good or outstanding – up from just 68 per cent in 2010.
Julian Smith said, “Too many families are held back from returning to work once they have had children because childcare costs are too high.
“This rollout is the start of a massive expansion of the Government’s childcare offer, which will empower parents to return to work.
“It’s brilliant news for hardworking families across Skipton and Ripon.”
