Councils across England will receive a funding boost to deliver free childcare places, enabling parents to work more flexibly and supporting children’s early development.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said that some of the additional investment will go to ensuring nurseries and childminders can support some of the most disadvantaged children, with an increase in hourly funding for all councils offering 15 hours free childcare for disadvantaged two-year-olds.
It means that the vast majority of areas providing free 30 hours places for working parents of three and four-year olds will also receive an increase in the hourly rate. It will also see an increase to the minimum hourly funding rate so that no authorities will see less than £4.38 per hour per child for three and four year olds.
Williamson said: “A child’s early education is crucial to their future success which is why we are increasing our hourly funding rates for councils so that they can continue to deliver high quality and free childcare places. Over one million children every year are now benefitting from the Government’s record investment in childcare and early years education – which will have reached £3.6 billion by next year. This will give families the flexibility they need to be able to balance their work and family lives.”
The increase in funding comes following the Chancellor’s announcement of an additional £66 million investment in the early years as part of the spending review.
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