You are here: News Childcare: Spending Review Response
The Family and Childcare Trust’s chief executive, Julia Margo, responds to the Chancellor’s statement on childcare as part of the Spending Review:
"We welcome the Government’s decision to prioritise its ambitious childcare plans and the resulting increases in the hourly rates for two, three and four year olds.
"For those local authorities whose rates will drop – including Manchester, Bristol, parts of London, and Birmingham - the Government must put in place transitional funding to make sure that the quarter of a million children and their families who are potentially affected don’t miss out.
"We also have concerns that the new rules around eligibility will introduce a new barrier to work for those parents working less than 16 hours a week. We urge the Government to re-examine these criteria so that all working families can benefit from this generous offer.
"We look forward to working with the Government on delivering a childcare system that meets the needs of our economy and working families."
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Contact: Mark Bou Mansour, Communications and Campaigns Manager. Telephone: 0207 940 7535, mobile: 07538 334 772, email: mark@familyandchildcaretrust.org.
Notes to editor:
The changes to the national funding formula combined with the new funding rates will mean that some settings will receive less money than currently, leading to potential shortages of places.
Based on our own estimates, some 30 local authorities are likely to be receiving less than the potential new funding rates for two, three and four year olds. On present uptake for three and four year olds, over a quarter of a million children are in local authorities that are receiving more money.
Following the release of this response, the Government has confirmed there will be protections for local authorities who may see a decrease in their rates.
About the Family and Childcare Trust
The Family and Childcare Trust aims to make the UK a better place for families. We are a leading national family charity in the field of policy, research and advocacy on childcare and family issues, with over 40 years’ experience. Our on-the-ground work with parents and providers informs our research and campaigns. We focus on the early years and childcare because they are crucial to boosting children’s outcomes throughout life and supporting parents to work.