In September, more parents will be able to claim free childcare for their young children. The government is launching a new scheme for providing 15 hours of free childcare per week for the parents with children starting from nine months old and go to work. However, there is a slight hitch that has rather raised a lot of concerns among individuals, including local councils.
Current Concerns Regarding the Extension of Free Childcare
Recent research by Coram Family and Childcare raises a few alarm bells. Apparently, six out of ten local councils are either unsure or do not know whether there will be enough nursery places to meet the expected increase in demand.
By September 2025, the aim is to offer 30 hours of free childcare for children from the age of nine months. But brace yourselves, because councils' confidence in meeting this demand is falling faster. Only 11% of local councils are confident that they have enough places for all children.
Lydia Hodges, who heads up Coram Family and Childcare, laid it out pretty clearly in a chat with the Big Issue. She said: “The extra funding for childcare has the potential to be a real game changer for families to give parents access back into the workplace. And also for children, we know early education really boosts their outcomes."
Hodges also stressed the successful implementation of this remediation as satisfactory for not only children, but also parents and specifically mothers to participate in the job market.
The Role of Early Years Educators
Remember those reports about children from the poorest backgrounds not getting free childcare? Well, this is part of a wider picture that includes a staffing crisis in early years settings.
The Early Years Alliance did some research and found that more than two-thirds (63%) of early years settings are already full to capacity, with waiting lists stretching for what seems like an eternity
One of them mentioned that people were putting their names down for nursery places even before they were pregnant!
However, another study has been done which has further heightened the worries. More than half of councils report that all or almost all eligible parents who wanted free childcare have been able to access it so far.
But here's the kicker: 75% of councils are most concerned about the childcare workforce. The staff recruitment and retention has become a big challenge that they describe as having significant difficulties.
Hodges stressed that the top priority for the next government should be to invest in the early years sector, particularly in the workforce. She pointed out that the biggest obstacle to this expansion is the recruitment and retention crisis.
We know we’re struggling to get the right people with the right skills and to hold on to those people. And to do that, we need a proper workforce strategy with better pay and progression, recognition and value for those early years educators. So it’s really important that the next government makes that a priority, to make sure that you know those children aren’t missing out on that opportunity.