The Government’s announcements, which placed a strong emphasis on stopping childcare from being a barrier to parents’ ability to work, came during the cross-party Committee’s ongoing inquiry into support for childcare and the early years.
Among the headline changes was an expansion of the 30-free-hours childcare policy, currently only available for 3-to-4-year-olds, to cover all children from nine months to four years from late 2024. The Government also announced incentive payments for new childminders of £600, rising to £1,200 for those who register through an agency, a relaxation of staff-to-child ratios, and an increase in the funding paid to childcare providers to deliver the 30-free-hours offer.
Witnesses will be asked to comment on the changes, how effective they will be at enabling parents to return to their careers or seek new employment, and how quickly the industry will be able to scale up the number of providers to meet demand. There will also be questions about equality of access to quality childcare and the potential effect of these changes on educational outcomes in disadvantaged areas.
MPs on the Committee may also want to hear about whether a more qualified workforce is needed to ensure a high standard of early years education, whether greater support should also be given to parents who choose not to work, and how to solve problems with recruitment and retention of childcare staff.
