A consultation published in April outlines government proposals for implementing the increase from 15 to 30 hours a week of free childcare from September 2017.
The overarching aim of the proposals is to make childcare provision more accessible so that it better fits around working parents’ needs. However, the drive for flexibility has resulted in a number of changes to how the entitlement works, with potential implications for early years provision.
We assess five key questions to arise from the proposals for childcare providers and practitioners, and local authorities.
How will the increased hours impact on nursery opening times?
The consultation proposes extending the hours that the free entitlement can be used from 7am until 7pm, to 6am until 8pm. It also wants to remove the restriction for free childcare sessions to be at least two hours 30 minutes long before 9am or after 3.30pm.
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