Magazine Editor Rachel Lawler catches up with minister of state for children and families, Robert Goodwill. This article originally appeared in the Alliance's membership magazine.
How do you feel about your new role as minister for children and families? 
I鈥檓 delighted with the role and I鈥檝e enjoyed my first few months at the Department for Education enormously. With such a challenging and busy portfolio, I wanted to spend as much time as possible speaking to lots of different people and travelling all over the country. I鈥檝e been as far as Oldham and York, where I spoke to nurseries involved in our 30-hours free childcare early delivery pilots, and down to Merton and Tower Hamlets to speak to their children鈥檚 services team so I鈥檝e seen some really excellent work to get me started.
My wife Maureen previously ran a community playgroup so I know just how dedicated and hardworking the professionals in this sector are. High quality early education is something that has a real impact on outcomes later in life, so I truly appreciate the work that goes in to providing this.
As this issue reaches our readers, the 30-hours offer will be available nationwide. How prepared is the sector?
We鈥檝e seen such a positive impact from the evaluation of the first eight areas already delivering the 30-hours free childcare offer 鈥 both on parents, who have been able to increase their working hours and increase their household income, and for children who are spending more quality time with their parents together as a family. The offer is also having a positive impact on providers, who have responded well to the increased demand from parents. Indeed, in York, where many nursery owners initially had their doubts about the scheme, 100% of day nurseries offering the original 15 hours are now also offering 30 hours and seeing the benefits.
I don鈥檛 underestimate the hard work that鈥檚 gone into achieving this early success, and that鈥檚 why we will continue to support professionals going forward 鈥 the September roll out is the beginning, not the end. We have recently updated our operational guidance and our business support resources providing further advice, and we have published a bank of case studies demonstrating how 30 hours is working for a range of delivery models. Our contractor, Childcare Works, will continue its regular contact with all councils to support their progress, and they will soon begin another series of termly events to encourage councils and providers to share good practice and helpful learning. There will also be targeted support and specialist workshops available as required, based on demand.
Lots of our readers are concerned about the level of funding for the 30-hour offer 鈥 is this likely to be reviewed in the future?
We鈥檙e putting an additional 拢1 billion per year into funding our childcare offers, meaning that the national average hourly rate being paid to councils has increased. Of this, 93% is going directly to providers, rising to 95% next year, and these rates are far higher than what recent research has shown the average hourly cost of providing childcare to three- and four-year-olds to be. As with any new policy, we keep the details of how it is being implemented under constant review 鈥 but we know from the independent evaluation of the early delivery of 30 hours to 15,000 children that finances are not acting as a barrier to providers offering the scheme.
Do you have any concerns about settings charging top-ups or limiting the number of 30-hours place available?
We鈥檝e tried to make it clear in our operational guidance what providers can charge for. This includes meals, 鈥榗onsumables鈥 such as nappies or sun cream, and additional activities like trips or classes 鈥 but they cannot be a requirement for taking up a 30-hours place. Many parents may not need or want these extras, so there must be alternative options available 鈥 for example, by parents providing a packed lunch, or bringing enough nappies for their child. It鈥檚 absolutely right that these extras aren鈥檛 part of the free offer and we are seeing that in many areas delivering the 30-hours so far, parents are happy to pay extra for these things.
Many childcare settings have been affected by the increase in business rates. Do you have any plans to support these settings?
Support is already in place. Not only are we investing an additional 拢1 billion every year to pay for our free childcare offers, there are also a number of schemes available for business rate support. This increased investment was based on our review of childcare costs which the National Audit Office said was 鈥渢horough and wide-ranging鈥, and looked at both the current cost of providing childcare and future cost pressures.
"The evidence from the independent evaluation of our early implementers, as well as anecdotal evidence we hear directly, indicates the huge boost that 30-hours of free childcare is giving parents."
How have the early implementer schemes fared and what have you learnt ahead of the 30-hours launch?
The benefits of the 30-hours offer for working parents cannot be underestimated. I鈥檝e heard from parents who some days would only pass each other in the hallway as one finished a shift and the other was picking up the childcare responsibility. Now, using the 30 free hours, they are able to change this pattern 鈥 and more than three quarters of parents surveyed in the first evaluation of the scheme were able to be more flexible in their jobs as a result. Others reported more money in their pockets and many others increased their working hours: 23% of mothers and 9% of fathers.
Overall, more than 15,000 30-hours places have been delivered in 12 council areas. We were clear that the programme would allow us to test any challenges associated with the offer and despite initial concerns from some nurseries, there was no evidence that financial implications were a significant barrier to the 30-hours. My team at the Department for Education is working through any issues or concerns raised as part of the evaluation to address them.
How do you think parents will receive the scheme?
The evidence from the independent evaluation of our early implementers, as well as anecdotal evidence we hear directly, indicates the huge boost that 30-hours of free childcare is giving parents. In Staffordshire, one parent who split her 30-hours between a pre-school and childminder said that it was the 鈥済reatest gift a working parent can be given鈥.
"...a thriving early years sector must be at the heart of improving social mobility. Although there has been some excellent progress around the country in narrowing the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers, much more can be done to close it."
What do you see as key challenges for the early years sector in the coming years?
Investment in the number of childcare places available to parents must go hand in-hand with investment in our early years workforce. It鈥檚 vital that we continue to do this so that we raise the profile of the profession, making it easier to attract, retain and develop the best people. Not only is it essential for career development and improvement, it鈥檚 also an essential part of driving better outcomes for children.
We鈥檝e seen more than 70% of eligible disadvantaged two-year-olds taking up the free 15-hours available to them and a recent SEED survey showed the positive impact early education can have on a child鈥檚 development. Evidence like this proves that a thriving early years sector must be at the heart of improving social mobility. Although there has been some excellent progress around the country in narrowing the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers, much more can be done to close it.
Is there anything else you would like to say to the sector?
I鈥檇 like to thank all those individuals who have taken the time to meet me and speak to me about their experiences 鈥 I鈥檓 mindful that I鈥檝e taken up this role at a busy and crucial time. Above all, thank you for the hard work you put in every day to educate our youngest generation. I am determined that 30-hours will be a huge success, and the evidence I鈥檝e seen so far gives me enormous confidence that we are on track to accomplish this.
This article originally appeared in the Alliance's membership magazine. Find out more about the magazine, request your free taster copy, or sign up to the newsletter mailing list