NO
By Neil Leitch, chief executive, Pre-school Learning Alliance
Has there ever been a policy with a more misleading name than the "30 hours free childcare" offer?
For one thing, it is not actually 30 hours a week if parents take up the offer all year round, and it is not just childcare being delivered, but rather, quality early care and education.
Most importantly - and I cannot stress this enough - it is not free.
We all know the problem: government funding for so-called "free places" does not cover the cost to providers of delivering them.
It didn't for the 15-hour scheme, and recently published funding rates show that, for most providers, it won't for 30 hours.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
