Rachel has visited a nursery in Redditch to discuss the Government’s “transformational” childcare reforms.
Last Friday (November 17th), Rachel visited Holly Trees Day Nursery and enjoyed a tour of the nursery and saw all of the activities that were taking place to support Children in Need.
Rachel also took the opportunity to discuss the childcare reforms the Chancellor announced at the Spring Budget earlier this year, as well as issues affecting the childcare sector.
The Government is significantly expanding the support on offer by providing 30 hours a week of free childcare for 38 weeks a year for eligible working parents of children aged 9 months to 3 years.
These reforms will be rolled out in phases from April 2024 and is in addition to the 30 hours a week already provided for eligible working parents of 3 to 4-year-olds.
The Government will also be providing £204 million to support the hourly funding rate paid to providers to deliver existing free childcare in England in 2023-24, with a further uplift to £288 million in 2024-25.
Rachel said:
“As a mother four of myself, I know just how transformational the largest ever expansion of childcare will be for working families in Redditch and the Villages.
“The cost of childcare can be a real struggle for parents and can become a barrier to work, which is why this Government is ensuring childcare is truly affordable and available when and where parents need it.”
Parents can see exactly what additional childcare support they will be entitled to over the coming months and years on the Government's childcare choices website: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
