Applications open for 30 hours funded childcare expansion

New data finds half a million children already benefitting from 15 hours extended childcare offer as applications open for tens of thousands more from today.

Tens of thousands more working parents across England will soon see cash back in their pockets as they can now apply for 30 hours of funded childcare from September.

From today (12 May), all eligible working parents of children who will be 9 months old before 1 September can apply to access up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week, saving them up to £7,500 a year per child.

With savings from the government’s free breakfast club rollout and school uniform cap, this rises to up to £8,000 for working parents who also have school-aged children, every year.

This latest milestone follows the successful rollout of 15 funded hours for children from 9 months last September, with 499,592 children already benefitting from access to more affordable and high-quality early years education and childcare.

Despite the inherited delivery challenges, the government is committed to increasing access to childcare that gives every child the best start in life. That’s why through the Plan for Change it has already taken urgent action through hundreds of new school-based nurseries and a £2 billion extra investment compared to last year to support the brilliant existing providers deliver the 35,000 additional staff and 70,000 places required to meet demand for September.

A new government survey of parents who took up the childcare entitlements last September has found that the rollout is breaking down barriers to opportunity and playing a key role in supporting British business and kick-starting economic growth.

Lower-income families are seeing the biggest impact, with one in five of those earning £20,000 – £40,000 having increased their working hours thanks to the 15 hours brought in last year.

Looking ahead to this September, of the 2,723 respondents who are planning to increase their childcare hours, over half (1,425) are intending to up their work hours too – good news for families, and good news for employers.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

This government has a clear Plan for Change to break the unfair link between background and opportunity across this country, which starts by ensuring our children start school ready to learn.

Early years is my number one priority, and making sure families are able to benefit from this rollout is a promise made, and promise kept. But this is just the beginning.

Through the hard work of the sector, supported by our record investment, landmark school-based nursery rollout and focus on vital early learning support, we will deliver an early years system that gives every child the best start in life.

The success of the rollout so far is testament to the work and commitment of nurseries, pre-schools and childminders, alongside local authorities, with 6123 of 6337 respondents who applied for government-funded hours last Autumn going on to secure a place.

Sophie Lovell, from Nottingham, uses the 15 hours for working parents for her little girl. She said:

The government’s childcare support has been great for our family.

Having my child in formal childcare has provided wonderful opportunities for her to play, learn, and grow.

As a parent, balancing everything can be overwhelming, but knowing your child is supported by trained professionals makes all the difference.

The government has always been clear that early years is about even more than family finances. Access to high-quality early education and childcare helps children build confidence, learn social skills, and prepare for school, and 83% of parents in the government’s survey agree it is important for children’s social development.

With evidence showing the huge benefits of outdoor play to children from improved problem solving to mental and physical health, the government has also today launched a consultation on how it can help nurseries make better use of outdoor space for play and learning.

Currently, the government’s early years framework requires provision of outdoor play but only formally recognises indoor space in its requirements for how many children nurseries and childcare providers can take on at any one time. However, 7 in 10 providers say they would make better use of their outdoor space if more flexibility was introduced.

The consultation will seek to understand whether to allow providers to include high-quality, accessible and safe outdoor space in meeting those requirements, and the appropriate conditions to be put in place should they include gardens and play areas as a full part of the early learning experience for the youngest children.

Justine Roberts, Founder and CEO of Mumsnet, said:

We’ve heard from countless women on Mumsnet pushed out of work by unaffordable childcare. This expansion of support is a major step in tackling that – giving parents, especially mothers, the freedom to stay in work if they choose, which benefits families and the economy.

We urge all eligible parents to check what they’re entitled to and make full use of it.

Director of Future of Work and Skills at CBI, Matthew Percival said:

It’s good to see the rollout of the final phase of the UK’s childcare expansion. The CBI made the case that expanding childcare support was good for growth because our members told us that the cost of it was preventing parents from working or taking on more hours.

Moving from 15 to 30 funded hours gives working families greater flexibility, helps employers access more of the talent they need to grow, and supports a more productive economy.

Lydia Hopper CEO, Grandir UK said:

We are supportive of the inclusion of free-flow outdoor space within the EYFS space requirements.

At Grandir UK, we’ve actively champion free-flow outdoor play – it’s a big part of how we support children’s learning and development. We draw inspiration from Forest School principles, helping children explore nature and learn through play in the fresh air.

Whether it’s running, climbing, or simply being outside, we know how much this benefits their physical health, builds confidence, and boosts their overall wellbeing.”

source: GOV