Certain groups of parents, including those from deprived areas, will continue to face barriers in accessing funded childcare hours under the expanded provision announced as part of the Budget, experts have told MPs.
During an evidence session of the education committee, held as part of its inquiry into childcare and early years, MPs heard experts respond to childcare reforms outlined in the Spring Budget, including the expansion of funded childcare hours for working parents.
Experts told MPs that the reforms fail to provide for all parents. They said that single parents, parents in education or training, and families living in poverty may struggle to access the free childcare offer which is only available to working parents.
“We are concerned that the childcare offer is not available to people who are not in work", Victoria Benson, the chief executive of single parent families charity Gingerbread, told MPs.
