Nearly half of authorities have doubts about Jeremy Hunt’s expanded childcare policy rollout

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Nearly half of native authorities worry they won’t be able to roll out the federal government’s expanded childcare policy in April, in keeping with new knowledge.

Almost 9 in ten native authorities in England assume an absence of workers within the sector shall be an impediment to extending free childcare for younger households, the analysis shared discovered.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed the main flagship pledge to increase free childcare to attract in voters final yr, with eligible working mother and father of two-year-olds instructed they may declare 15 hours of free childcare every week for 38 weeks in a yr. And from September 2025, working mother and father who have youngsters below 5 will have the ability to declare 30 hours of free childcare for 38 weeks per yr.

The analysis, carried out by childcare charity Coram Family and Childcare, and shared with The Independent, discovered that 4 in ten native authorities are both unsure or fearful they won’t meet the deadline.

Six in ten native authorities stated they have been both “confident” or “very confident” of with the ability to rollout the policy from April.

But the image appears a lot worse because the scheme progresses, with solely round 1 / 4 of native authorities reporting they really feel “confident” or “very confident” about delivering the following stage of the childcare measures from September 2024.

It comes after The Independent revealed final month that hundreds of nurseries have shut their doorways amid a staffing disaster, sparking fears the federal government’s promise to develop free childcare was “doomed to failure”.

The new examine discovered round a 3rd of native authorities predict that fewer mother and father will have the ability to entry free childcare locations for 3 and four-year-olds.

Ministers rolled out 30 hours of free childcare per week in time period time for three- and four-year-olds in England in 2017 however specialists have warned the childcare sector is already struggling to supply this.

Researchers acquired a response from 92 of the 153 English native authorities they polled for the brand new analysis.

The Independent additionally not too long ago revealed warnings from specialists that Mr Hunt’s Budget childcare pledge was quick unravelling amid “chaos” over funding preparations. Some warned the sector has not been given sufficient money or help to ship the promise by April.

Ellen Broome, head of Coram Family and Childcare, stated: “We are concerned there may be issues for families further down the line in accessing the childcare they need, as well as ongoing challenges in the sector that could impact the successful delivery of this extended support in the coming year.

“These issues – including the challenges around recruitment and retention, and funding rates – need to be addressed urgently, and childcare providers fully supported to manage this extension, so that every child is able to access the high quality early years education they are entitled to, and all parents can make meaningful choices about work and care.”

The Confederation of British Industry has estimated that implementing the federal government’s expanded childcare plans will value £8.9bn relatively than the £4bn ministers have allotted to fund the rise in locations.

Sarah Ronan, director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition, stated: “Local authorities are right to be concerned about the staffing crisis. Providers have been warning about this growing crisis for a number of years.”

Ms Ronan stated the scenario is “not looking promising” on the bottom when she is speaking to childcare suppliers.

She added: “It is just over eight weeks until roll-out of the new childcare policy begins and not only do providers not know how much they are getting paid by the local authorities to provide the scheme but there has still been no action which has started from government about how to tackle the staffing crisis.

“It doesn’t feel like the government has grasped the severity of the staffing crisis and the huge numbers of early years staff which the expansion requires. It seems like they have their heads buried in the sand.”

A spokesperson from the Department of Education stated it was assured available in the market to ship the rollout due to a “£204 million cash boost last September and more than £400 million to uplift rates paid for places from April.”

They added: “We published the April funding rates back in November, and are working closely with local authorities to make sure they have everything they need to successfully deliver the first phase of the rollout in April.”