Alliance comments on government childcare plans outlined in the Queen’s Speech
27th May 2015
Commenting on the government’s plans to extend the free childcare offer for three- and four-year-olds to 30 hours a week for all working families, as outlined in today’s Queen’s speech, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said:
“While plans to improve the availability of childcare are of course positive in theory, as it stands, they unfortunately remain unlikely to succeed in practice as, to date, the government has done very little to address concerns that the free childcare scheme is severely underfunded.
“Independent research into the current offer commissioned by the Alliance last year showed that childcare providers are already facing funding shortfalls of around 20%. As a result, many are being forced to increase the cost of paid-for hours, resulting in higher childcare costs for parents. Extending the free childcare offer without first addressing these funding gaps will only exacerbate this problem further.”
Prior to the election, the Conservative party pledged to consult on local funding rates for childcare providers. Commenting on this, Neil said:
“Given the early years sector has long raised the issue of inadequate funding rates, it is regretful that the government failed to take the opportunity to address - or at least better understand - this issue before pushing ahead with its extension plans. It is difficult to understand how anyone can be confident that this pledge has been adequately costed given that the government has no idea of the scale of the existing funding shortfall, and how much will be needed to plug this gap.
“It is all the more vital, then, that the government now works with the sector, and organisations like the Alliance, to make sure that funding for the 30 hours offer actually meets the cost of delivering places, and ensure the sustainability of the sector in the long term.”
For further information or to interview, Neil Leitch, Chief Executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance please contact:
Shannon Hawthorne
Pre-school Learning Alliance
T: 020 7697 2503
E: Shannon Hawthorne
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Notes for editors
- The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England.
- Through direct provision and its membership of 14,000 nurseries, sessional pre-schools and parent and toddler groups, the Alliance supports over 800,000 children and their families in England. The Alliance also develops and runs family learning programmes, offers information and advice, runs acclaimed training and accreditation programmes and campaigns to influence early years policy and practice.
- For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website: