Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has welcomed the news that Staffordshire families will be among the first in the country to be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare every week.
The Government today announced that £13 million will allow councils across the country to deliver 30 hours of free childcare for hard working parents of three- and four-year-olds – a year ahead of schedule.
The expansion on 15 hours free of childcare, which will begin in September this year, will initially be targeted at families who already go out to work.
The Government will also be looking at the issues that make it difficult for parents with particular challenges to access childcare, including Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
The Department for Education will also be piloting a new contract with councils, and consulting on a fairer funding formula for the early years, to help ensure that local authorities are passing the money on to providers, and that providers are given a fair rate.
Welcoming the news Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, said: “For too long, rising childcare costs have been a barrier preventing parents and particularly mothers from working. That’s why I’m delighted that in just a few months’ time, we will see the first families benefitting from the government’s offer of 30 hours’ free childcare for working parents.
“We have made a commitment to help working people, and through this extended offer we will help thousands more parents who want to return to work to do so.”
Commenting on the news Gavin said: “I am delighted that the Government has chosen Staffordshire as one of the pilot areas for the early expansion of 30 hours of free childcare.
“As part of this Government’s commitment to helping hardworking people, we will be investing more than £1bn extra per year by 2019-20 to fund the extension of the free childcare entitlement.
“The extra hours of childcare will make it easier for parents to work and is another move designed to meet the Government’s commitment to make work pay.”