Children: Day Care

(asked on 5th July 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the likely level of demand for places under the 30 hours free childcare scheme from September 2017.


Answered by
Robert Goodwill Portrait
Robert Goodwill
This question was answered on 10th July 2017

The Childcare Act 2016 places a duty on local authorities to secure free childcare for qualifying children and therefore monitor supply and demand at a local level. We anticipate a high level of demand for 30 hours free childcare. Our twelve early delivery areas have demonstrated that 30 hours is popular with parents and that providers have been positive about offering places to working parents.

We are making record investments in the government’s free childcare offer: over £1 billion more per year by 2020. This includes £300 million per year for a significant increase to the hourly rates paid for two, three and four-year-old entitlement. From April 2017, the national average funding rates also increased to £4.94 for three and four-year-olds and £5.39 for two-year-olds. We are also investing £100m in capital funding to create nearly 18,000 additional places for eligible children to help meet demand from hardworking parents. This investment will support even more providers to deliver 30 hours.

In addition our national delivery contractor, Childcare Works, are supporting all local authorities to ensure they are ready to deliver the required number of free places in September 2017. Local authorities report that they have benefitted from support with estimating demand and supply in their local areas.

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