Government considers U-turn on 30 hours for foster carers

Speaking during a parliamentary debate on social mobility earlier this week, Greening said she was "actively looking" at extending the "incredibly popular" expanded free entitlement to foster carers. 

Under current policy, parents of three- and four-year-olds are entitled to 30 hours of free childcare a week if both work more than 16 hours per week and earn less than £100,000 a year.

Earlier this month, children and families minister Robert Goodwill said that foster children are only eligible for 15 hours a week of free childcare, whether parents are in work or not. He said this affected 3,030 children.

The government's stance has been criticised by education select committee chair Robert Halfon as "indefensible".

The Conservative MP for Harlow told CYP Now: "It's immoral and indefensible that foster carers don't have access to 30 hours free childcare. Foster carers raise some of society's most vulnerable children, many of whom would benefit from high-quality childcare, which would help boost social development."

Halfon added that the measure could be paid for by reducing the eligibility cap to £65,000 from the existing £100,000.

However, Greening's intervention suggests the government is considering a U-turn. After being challenged on the issue by Halfon during the parliamentary debate, she said: "The 30 hours free childcare policy has been incredibly popular with parents. Nine out of 10 say they very much like it and welcome it. We are actively looking at the issue in relation to foster children."

Labour's shadow childcare minister Tracy Brabin added: "Last week the minister for children and families used the 30 hours of free childcare as an example of the ?government's commitment to social mobility. He knows that foster children are some of the most vulnerable, often starting school having already fallen behind their peers, and that many would benefit from access to high-quality early years education. Why have they been excluded from the 30-hours offer, and will the Secretary of State tell us when this discrimination will end?"

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association, welcomed Greening's commitment to reconsider the issue but questioned how it would be funded.

"It is good that the Secretary of State said that she recognised the importance of foster children being included in the 30 hours offer," she said.
 
"However, we would like to know how they will pay for this - would it be by reducing the earnings threshold for eligibility as suggested by Robert Halfon? We would welcome this principle to benefit our more disadvantaged children.
 
"Currently, the scheme does not have enough financial backing to be sustainable so any plans to extend this further must be fully costed following close consultation with the sector."

The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.