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Labour pledges to support Sure Start and make 30-hours universal
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May 30, 2017Party promises 30-hours of free childcare to all children aged two- to four-years-old
The Labour Party has pledged to extend the current 30-hours offer to all children aged two- to four-years-old. The party estimates that this will benefit an additional 1.3 million children compared to the existing offer.
Currently, funded childcare is only available for some two-year-olds, based on family income. All three- and four-year-olds can also claim 15-hours of funded childcare. From September onwards, some working families will be able to claim an additional 15-hours of funded childcare. The Labour Party has pledged to make these 30-hours universal and extend them to two-year-olds as well.
The Labour Party has also pledged to spend an additional 拢0.5 billion reversing the current government鈥檚 cuts to Sure Start children鈥檚 centres.
Angela Rayner, Labour鈥檚 shadow secretary for education, said: 鈥淯nlike the Conservatives, Labour will properly fund childcare to help parents get back into work and ensure all children, no matter what their background, have access to the high quality childcare they deserve.鈥
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: 鈥淟abour is quite right to state that every child, regardless of background, should have the best start in life and we are pleased to see the early years placed so prominently on Labour鈥檚 political agenda.鈥
Neil added: 鈥淭hat said, as we warned when Labour鈥檚 manifesto was announced, unless this policy is adequately funded then it simply won鈥檛 work.鈥
The Alliance also welcomed Labour鈥檚 commitment to support Sure Start centres. Neil said: 鈥淲e welcome Labour鈥檚 promise to protect the future of children鈥檚 centres, and their pledge to invest more in early intervention. Regardless of who wins the election, it is vital that the next government recognises the importance of these services and takes steps to ensure that those families who are most in need of support have access to it.鈥