You are here: News Response to the Conservatives' childcare plan

21st June 2024
By Joanna Watts

In response to the Conservatives' manifesto on early years and childcare, Lydia Hodges, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, said:

The Conservative party’s manifesto outlines its plan to continue the current childcare expansion, with the final phase providing 30 hours of funded childcare per week to children with eligible working parents, from the age of nine months until they start school. We welcomed this investment when it was announced in the Spring budget last year and are pleased to see the commitment continued.

Alongside investment, a workforce strategy is essential to address the current recruitment and retention crisis. Our Childcare Survey 2024 found a shortage of childcare places across the country, with the majority of local authorities telling us that recruiting and retaining the right staff was a key barrier to making enough places available.

With more children eligible for funded childcare, there is a risk of further decreases in provision for disabled children who are already most likely to miss out on early education, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Therefore we continue to call on all parties to ensure the needs of all families are included in their plans, to make sure every child gets the best start in life, regardless of their circumstances.

For more information, please contact Emma Lamberton, Communications Manager, Coram at emma.lamberton@coram.org.uk / 0207 520 0427 / 07908 827908. For our latest research on childcare availability, costs and barriers to successful delivery of the expansion of funded childcare, see our Childcare Survey 2024.

About Coram Family and Childcare

Coram Family and Childcare works to make the UK a better place for families by bringing together what we learn from our on the ground parent-led programmes and our research to campaign for solutions that parents want and need. We focus on childcare and early years to make a difference to families’ lives now and in the long term.