The Government Has Extended Its Scheme Which Offers 30 Hours Free Childcare To Working Parents Nationwide.
This is welcome news because many younger parents struggle to secure, or hold down, jobs because they cannot afford childcare for their three or four-year-olds.
So, what will the change mean in practice? Well, for a start, the offer should save families about £5,000 per year on childcare.
About 390,000 working families are eligible and eight out of ten childcare providers have said they are willing to double their previous 15 hours offer.
This offer builds on the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare offer already available to many families, which cuts childcare costs by up to £2,000 per year for each child under 12 years old.
Education Secretary Justine Greening said: “For too long lots of families really struggled to manage the cost of childcare and that’s why we have delivered on our promise to provide 30 hours free – saving working families around £5,000 a year.”
An independent valuation of the scheme in the twelve areas where it was first piloted showed that 84 per cent of parents reported improved finances, 78 per cent parents reported greater flexibility in their working life and 23 per cent of mothers and 9 per cent of fathers were able to increase their working hours.
We welcome the change because removing barriers is crucial if parents are going to hold down jobs.
Based in Greater Manchester, NGTC has a strong client base of well-known sporting organisations and colleges and delivers everything from pre-employment courses and apprenticeships, to specialist courses, such as Spectator Safety. You can find out more at http://www.ngtc.co.uk/