Speaking before the Work and Pensions Select Committee, Hodge said that although the Government was introducing two-and-a-half hours a day of free nursery care in April, the scheme was of limited value to parents who could not pay for extra childcare.
"The two-and-a-half hours is inflexible and the people least likely to take advantage of it are those that can least afford wrap-around childcare," she said.
David Hamilton, Labour MP for Midlothian, said a "major problem" was that nursery provision was most often linked to schools, which were closed for long periods during holidays.
Hodge said the Government was looking at ways of making the nursery system more flexible, including making better use of school facilities, reforming tax credits and expanding the childminding sector.
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
