Childcare boost for working parents

Rural affairs minister Rory Stewart visited St Mary’s Nursery in Hexham on Tuesday and announced that Northumberland is one of eight councils across the country to receive the funding.

The money will allow councils to deliver 30 hours of free childcare for working parents with three and four-year-olds.

The extra hours of childcare will make it easier for parents to work and is another move designed to meet the Government’s commitment to make work pay.

Speaking at the nursery, Mr Stewart said: “We hope to make a huge difference to parents in the area. This has been driven by Guy Opperman and councillors.

“We have worked with councils in rural areas as people in these areas face a number of challenges. Child care is just one example.

“The cost of child care is phenomenal and it can put people off trying to get jobs.

“This will not only make a difference for parents, but for children as well. High quality childcare and education improves a child’s start in life.”

As well as Northumberland, working parents in Wigan, Staffordshire, Swindon, Portsmouth, York, Newham and Hertfordshire will benefit from the early offer this September.

If the pilot is successful, the initiative will be rolled out throughout the rest of the country 12 months later.

Mr Stewart said it was thanks to co-operation from the councils involved that they were able to start the pilot a year earlier.

“We have been working very closely with Northumberland County Council to get this started,” he added.

“Northumberland is unique in that it has such a thriving rural economy with sites like the national park and Hadrian’s Wall. We want people in the area to be able to work.”

Coun. Robert Arckless, cabinet member for children’s services at Northumberland County Council, said: “We are delighted that the local authority’s bid to take part in this programme has been accepted, which means families in Northumberland will be among the first in the country to benefit from this initiative.

“We have always valued the education of under fives very highly. Being selected as an early implementer will support one of our key aims which is to ensure every Northumberland child gets off to the best start and this will help maximise their chance of achieving well at school and into adult life.”

The Government will also be looking at the issues that make it difficult for parents with particular challenges to access childcare, including Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said: “For too long, rising childcare costs have been a barrier preventing parents and particularly mothers from working.

“That’s why I’m delighted that in a few months’ time we will see the first families benefiting from the government’s offer of 30 hours’ free childcare for working parents.

“We have made a commitment to help working people and through this extended offer we will help thousands more parents who want to return to work to do so.”

Childcare minister Sam Gyimah added: “I know how important childcare is from my own personal experience and I couldn’t be more determined to make sure we give children the best start in life, support parents to work, and as a result, allow our country to prosper.

“I’m pleased that we are in investing in childcare and I’m looking forward to seeing how working parents benefit from 30 hours free childcare, before we roll out the offer to the rest of the country.”

All three and four-year-olds are already entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week, which is also extended to the most disadvantaged two-year-olds.

The additional hours of free childcare are available for families where both parents are working (or the sole parent in a single-parent family), and each parent earns the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum or living wage, and earns less than £100,000 a year.