Entitlement Changes to Roll Out

Entitlement Changes to Roll Out

Parents across England are being encouraged to apply for the new childcare entitlement when applications open on the gov.uk website on 2nd January. These places, which Local Authorities must ensure are available by April, will entitle all 2 year olds’ to 15 ‘free’ hours, provided their parents meet the same criteria as for the existing 30 hours scheme. Previously 2 year olds’ were only entitled to a place based on means testing and it is expected that this move could dramatically increase demand. 

There remain significant concerns within the childcare sector that the government’s policy will be challenging to deliver. The interlinked issues of funding and staffing are the most pressing, with many nursery settings already struggling to employ sufficient practitioners to meet ratios. Initiatives such as the change of the staff:child ratio for 2 year olds, introduced in the autumn, may help but not every provider is able to implement them, even if they want to do so. The latest government statistics suggest that the number of people employed in the childcare sector has increased by 4% in the last year however, suggesting some providers are finding solutions, but with wages rising and inflation still biting, more will need to be done. 

There is some reason for optimism however. The government has staked a lot on this policy’s success. It is highly visible and well promoted, and parents represent a key voting demographic in what is very likely to be an election year. That should create a political incentive for policymakers to deliver. If not, they may well find themselves punished at the ballot box. 

You can read more about the new entitlement here.