Sector welcomes opposition's free childcare proposals

Speaking at the Labour conference yesterday, shadow chancellor Ed Balls pledged to increase free childcare places for three- and four-year-olds from 15 hours a week to 25 if the party wins the next election. This would be paid for by raising £800m with an increase in the bank levy, Balls said.

Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, praised the policy as “relevant” and “forward thinking”.

She said: “Though this policy would present a real challenge to the sector over how quickly it could be implemented, particularly in terms of training the additional qualified staff needed, the development would not only enable parents to join the workforce and support them with their childcare arrangements, but would also benefit many disadvantaged children by enhancing their exposure to high-quality support in stimulating and fun settings.”

Alison Garnham, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group, also welcomed the policy as a potentially “crucial step” towards universal childcare provision.

She said: “Childcare costs are cripplingly high, and while tax credits give important help, most UK parents are still footing the lion’s share of the bill. The more hours of childcare parents can get for free, the more it will help with the squeeze on living standards they are facing.”

Liz Bayram, chief executive of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (Pacey), added: “For many parents, accessing good-quality, flexible and affordable childcare is challenging. Labour’s proposals would certainly go a long way towards helping families.”

But she warned that effective planning and funding will be key to ensuring the success of this policy.

“This will not only depend on the sector’s ability to rapidly increase capacity but also to ensure that all new and existing childcare professionals receive the support they need to deliver quality of care,” she added.

The Pre-school Learning Alliance and the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) also voiced concerns about how the proposals would work in practice.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the alliance, said: “Much has been done by the government to support parents with their childcare costs but the inequity of underfunding the sector has not been addressed. We hope that those responsible for putting forward this policy will actively engage with the sector in making this proposal a reality.”

Purnima Tanuku, NDNA chief executive, added: “If any party is serious about providing good quality care, the first thing it must do is look at the amount of funding invested in childcare and how much needs to reach the provider to cover the cost of the place.

“It is only through proper support we will be able to pay the wage dedicated childcare workers deserve and develop the professional, highly qualified workforce our children deserve."