The Childcare Bill was one of a number of Bills affecting children's services to be unveiled in the Queen's speech.
It will back up the 10-year strategy by placing "a new duty on local authorities to secure sufficient childcare to meet the needs of their local area".
The Bill will also reform the regulatory framework for childcare for under-fives by integrating early education and care.
Childcare campaigners welcomed the plans. Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: "This means there will be a statutory duty on local authorities to respond to what parents want and that is an amazing difference from where we were a year ago. It is what we have been hoping for for a long time." But she said it would be a "huge, huge challenge" for local authorities.
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