Free Childcare Pilot

A new scheme will be trialled where the current allowance of 570 hours a year for three and four-year-olds will be doubled for working parents.

11:33 01 June 2015

Childcare providers in England warned that the system is at “breaking point” as ministers want to trial a new scheme where the current 570 hours a year for three and four-year-olds will be doubled for working parents. 

 

The Pre-School Learning Alliance - which represents 14,000 private, voluntary and independent groups, says that system could meltdown due to shortfall in government funding. It’s chief executive, Neil Leitch said: "I think this is crunch time.”

"While we of course welcome the drive to improve the availability of childcare in this country, these figures clearly show the government's plan to extend funded childcare hours simply cannot work without a substantial increase in sector funding.

"The so-called 'free' childcare scheme is nothing of the sort. For years now, the initiative has been subsidised by providers and parents because of a lack of adequate government funding."

 

Meanwhile, some parents are worried that they will have to shoulder extra hours.