Terri-Jay Rosser, Childcare worker and parent
A the moment, eligible parents can claim up to 30 hours of free childcare for three to four year olds, and 15 hours for some two year olds. The Tories are changing this, introducing their plan in stages:
Eligible parents of two year olds get 15 free hours from April 2024
From September 2024, this is extended to many children nine months and older
In September 2025, it’ll be increased to 30 free hours
But the Tories’ plan fails on funding, staff recruitment and the availability of childcare spaces.
Funding
Nursery providers state that the amount the government pays for the current funded hours does not cover costs. The Women’s Budget Group says the shortfall is £1.82 billion. A majority of nursery settings make up the difference by increasing fees for things like food.
The hourly rate that the government pays to local authorities for funded places for two year olds is increasing by 30%. But for three to four year olds it’s only going up by 4%, way less than the rate of inflation.
The government has promised £4 billion by 2027-28 – way after its proposals come in – to cover the plan. That’s far lower than what is needed.
Lack of qualified staff
The sector is already struggling to recruit and retain staff. Low pay is putting people off. In September, the Tories will relax ratios rules. The number of two year olds one adult can be in charge of will increase from four to five.
The government claims this will give providers flexibility. But most providers say they will not implant these changes due to safeguarding and workload concerns.
Shortage of childcare spaces
When the plan is rolled out, more parents will be looking for a space for their child in a nursery or childminders. But there is a shortage of spaces now, plus long waiting lists for availability. Almost half of areas across England do not have enough spaces for children under two, and a third don’t have spaces for three to four year olds.
The government is promising incentives to encourage people to work as childminders. But over the last five years, over 10,000 childminders have closed down, due to inadequate government funding – it’s too low to meet growing childcare demand.
The government’s plans do not solve Britain’s childcare crisis. The way forward is to bring privatised childcare under local authority control. This must be fully funded, affordable, flexible nursery and childcare services, democratically run by elected committees of parents and childcare workers.
Childcare services should be made available for all from birth, including after-school and holiday clubs. And we should be paid a wage we can actually afford to live on, that rises with the rate of inflation, reflecting the social contribution made by the workforce.
Other parents in the Socialist Party respond to the budget:
‘Far too late for me’
Catherine, Milton Keynes
“Disappointed” and “underwhelmed” were the responses of mothers in the online support groups I frequent. Jeremy Hunt’s childcare reforms are lacklustre and will be implemented far too late for anyone like me who already has a baby.
The 30 hours paid childcare is not available to those on Universal Credit despite the fact that many are only claiming benefits because they cannot work or can only work part-time as a result of high childcare costs.
And the ‘catch-22’ of being too poor to be entitled to claim free hours remains. The government is also bringing in stricter rules for stay-at-home parents claiming benefits. Rather than encouraging women back to work, they are trying to force us back without the support we need.
‘Tories fail parents again’
Helena Byrne, London
Again the government has failed parents with young children. Childcare costs are above what many women are paid, so it’s not surprising that many don’t return to work after maternity leave.
30 hours or 15 hours free childcare hours ‘per week’ is misleading. The hours only cover term time – 38 weeks over the course of a year.
The government has also done nothing to stem the closure of nurseries. Many have closed their doors because of rising costs. If the government was serious about getting more people working as childcare professionals, it would provide free training for all childcare qualifications, and pay childcare workers a decent wage of at least £15 an hour.
