无码天堂

By Rachel Lawler

The Liberal Democrats have promised to give working parents 35 hours a week of funded childcare for children aged nine months and older.

The party has also pledged to increase funding rates for early years providers.

Transformational change
Jo Swinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats, commented: 鈥淭he choice for parents now is simply not good enough. That is why Liberal Democrats are proposing a transformational change to our economy, by providing working parents with free childcare from when their child is nine months old.

鈥淭his will close the gap between the end of paid parental leave and the start of free provision. It will finally give parents more choice about when they return to work and unlock their untapped potential for our economy. This is part of our bold plan to build a brighter future and fundamentally reshape our economy.鈥�

One-upmanship
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the 无码天堂, commented: 鈥淲hile we recognise that the cost of childcare is a significant challenge facing many parents across the country, it appears that our fears of this election turning into a game of one-upmanship when it comes to so-called 鈥榝ree childcare鈥� are coming to pass.

"In 2013 Labour pledged 25 hours a week, in 2015 the Conservatives pledged 30 and now we have the Liberal Democrats offering 35. And while we welcome the party鈥檚 recognition that current funding rates are inadequate and further investment into the sector is desperately needed, it鈥檚 not clear that those who have developed this policy have realised what a huge impact applying this offer to children from the age of nine months will have on the early years sector.
 

Cross-subsidising costs
"With funding for existing government schemes still failing to match the cost of delivering places, many childcare providers are forced to make up that shortfall by charging the parents of younger children more than they otherwise would have. As such, if funded childcare is extended down to nine months 鈥� a move that is understandably likely to be warmly welcomed by parents 鈥� this ability to cross-subsidise will no longer exist. This means that even the promised increase in fees may not be enough to ensure that providers are able to balance the books and remain sustainable in the long term.

"As this election continues, we urge all parties to engage with providers to gain an understanding of how childcare businesses actually operate. Politicians may be making these promises to parents, but it鈥檚 early years providers who will have to deliver on them."

Find out more
Labour pledges to extend 30 hours to all two-, three- and four-year-olds