EARLY YEARS AND PLAY
The Children's Plan extends the 15-hour free childcare entitlement to 20,000 two-year-olds in disadvantaged communities, signalling a renewed effort to reduce child poverty. Completely free childcare will be piloted for an additional 12,000 two-year-olds.
The plan promises to improve advertising and publicity about the benefits and affordability of childcare to parents, but providers say this is of little use without a sustainable marketplace to provide the care in the first place.
"Inevitably we have to come to funding," says Steve Alexander, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. "The reality check is what's happening in the marketplace and the question of sustainability."
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