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The Pre-school Learning Alliance has voiced concerns after a letter from a government minister wrongly stated that the 30-hour funded childcare offer is split into 15 hours of ‘early education’ and 15 hours of ‘childcare’.

In a letter following a meeting between Suffolk MPs, children and families minister Robert Goodwill and DfE officials to discuss local funding concerns, Thérèse Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal – and an environment minister who previously had responsibility for rural childcare – stated: “The funding of the [30-hour] policy is largely based on the premise that the 30 hours’ equivalent (based on term-time provision) is split into 15 hours of education provision and 15 hours of general childcare without a specific educational focus”.

However, the Department for Education has previously confirmed that “All funded provision must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. There is no difference in the education and care standards which must be met for both the universal 15 hour and extended 30 hour entitlements.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, has written to Ms Coffey to express the organisation’s concerns. A copy of the letter is available .

Commenting on the confusion, Neil said:

“It beggars belief that at this stage of the policy process, there’s still confusion over what the 30 hours actually is. While the policy may have been developed with the aim of encouraging parents to get back to work, both the DfE and �°������ϲʹ������� have been very clear that there should be no difference in the way that the universal 15 hours and the extended 15 hours are delivered in practice.

“For a minister – especially one with a former childcare brief – to make such an assertion, therefore, is incredibly concerning. Is the suggestion that after a child has used up their first 15 hours, all learning stops? That providers down tools and simply babysit them until their parents arrive?

“If, as stated in the letter, the 30 hours scheme has been funded on the basis of providers delivering a two-tier service, then this policy is even more flawed than we’ve feared. We urge the Department for Education to provide clarity on this issue as a matter of urgency, and to ensure that all providers delivering the extended scheme are being funded to deliver 30 full hours of quality education and care across the board, and nothing less.”



 

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE

• The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest and most representative early years membership organisation in England. A registered educational charity, it also provides high-quality affordable childcare and education to support children and families in areas of deprivation throughout the country.
• The Alliance represents 14,000 member settings and supports them to deliver care and learning to more than 800,000 families every year. We deliver family learning projects, offer information and advice, produce specialist publications, run acclaimed training and accreditation schemes and campaign to influence early years policy and practice.
•  The Alliance website is