Labour's plans will help 1m children

ANGELA RAYNER

LABOUR'S plans to extend 30 hours of free childcare a week to all two to four-year-olds would benefit more than 1m extra children, the party has said.

Labour will extend 30-hour childcare to more children by eliminating means testing for two-year-olds and no longer restricting provision for three and four-year-olds to children whose parents are working. This will benefit an additional 1.3m children.

Currently,15 hours of free early education is offered to all three and four-year-olds, which the Tory government has legislated to extend to 30 hours for working parents.

About 40 per cent of two-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week, but Labour said that many families were not using their entitlements, because the system was difficult to navigate and many providers did not accept children entitled to free hours.

The party said its universal childcare policy will help ensure all children have a good start in life and remove barriers to parents, especially women, participating in the labour market.

Angela Rayner, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary, said: "The Conservatives' 2015 promise to provide parents 30 free hours of childcare a week has unravelled, as they have failed to give the policy the funding it needs. Too many parents have been let down, unable to go back to work due to the cost of childcare.

"Unlike 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 access to high quality child care they deserve. The Conservatives are failing to deliver on early years education, there are now over 1,240 fewer designated Sure Start children's centres than when the Conservatives entered government. It is clear Theresa May and the Conservatives can't be trusted with our children's futures."

In a survey conducted by the Resolution Foundation and Mumsnet, 67 per cent of mothers in work and 64 per cent of those not working said the high cost of childcare is a barrier to taking on more employment.

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn added: "The Labour party believes every child, no matter what their background, deserves a good start in life, and that childcare costs shouldn't be a barrier for parents who want to go back to work.

"High quality childcare can transform a child's life chances and make it much easier for parents to work. Labour will roll out 30 hours of free childcare a week to all 2-4 year olds to give all our children the best possible start in life."