Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of childcare support for parents seeking to enter or return to employment; whether she has assessed the extent to which the number of funded childcare hours available aligns with the working patterns of parents undertaking part-time employment; and whether she plans to review (a) eligibility criteria for childcare support, (b) the availability of funded childcare outside term time and (c) the accessibility of childcare provision in locations close to where families live and work.

We are investing over £1 billion more in the early years entitlements this year compared to 2025/26 and an above inflation increase to entitlements funding rates. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements. Coram–PACEY’s 2026 Childcare Survey found that the expansion of 30 hours of funded childcare significantly reduced costs for eligible working parents in England, in some cases making part time childcare effectively free during term time. In addition to funding increases, we are committing to consult on changes to how early years funding is allocated and distributed as part of the ongoing review of childcare provision and regulation.

By allowing funded hours to be stretched across the year, deducting closures from calculations, and enabling mixed‑provider models, the system is designed to work alongside all‑year childcare businesses, managing funding and fees transparently and within national limits, broadening parental choice.

We continue to monitor the sufficiency of childcare places; the key measure being the supply of available places is sufficient to meet requirements.

Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006 states local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient in their area.