Analysis

Spotlight on childcare funding policies

4 mins read Early Years Nurseries Childminding
Councils urged to check on nursery providers’ "free" childcare charging practices after ombudsman ruling in Leicestershire case.
Early years providers say underfunding for “free” childcare is putting many early years providers in an “impossible position”. Picture: Adobe Stock
Early years providers say underfunding for “free” childcare is putting many early years providers in an “impossible position”. Picture: Adobe Stock

“Free must mean free” when it comes to local authority funded childcare, the local government and social care ombudsman (LGO) says in a rebuke to Leicestershire County Council after it emerged a nursery chain was charging a “top-up” fee to parents eligible for free childcare.

The report comes despite data from the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) showing a combined £55m underspend on such childcare entitlement across all councils in England.

As the early years sector faces a huge funding crisis exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, experts lament a lack of government funding and put forward solutions to prevent mass closures in the coming 12 months.

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