Report advises end to universal 15 hours free childcare

Link?

Yes, sensible.

Yes very sensible - wonder why no mention is made of the proposed 30 hours which should be rolled out from September

It did seem to be a rather badly thought out policy. 15 hours free for every single 3/4 year old and some 2 year olds whatever the family income or circumstances. Mad.

They have been discussing it on the radio. Was pointed out that the trouble is once a benefit is in place its very difficult to take it away without paying the price at the ballot box.

I am not sure that May who is currently facing so much hostility from the Bremain dominated elite, would feel she can afford to take the risk.

Was this idea just being discussed or has it been proposed?
I would think it would be political suicide.
The 30 funded hours are a lifeline for many families, especially those with two or more children under school age.
Do we want children to benefit from nursery education, or not?
Do we want women to be able to have the choice to work after having children, or not?
We hear a great deal about how difficult life is for young families struggling to pay a mortgage etc.
Don't let's make it worse.

It's only 15 hours at present janea and yes, it's a help to many working families but I do think it should be means-tested to some degree, as child benefit is.

Why should a family whose income is £60,000 plus be able to claim free childcare, especially if it does indeed go up to 30 hours per child?

I agree Mair and Ana it would be better means tested, but can't see this happening,especially as the new longer hours are to start this year, they would not want to be seen to do anything controversial to child care.

Because the benefit of nursery education should be available to all children ana.
If the present free 15 hours nursery education from age 3 is withdrawn, it will mean that some children's free education begins at age 4, and some not until nearly 5, depending on when their birthday falls. Is that fair?
Where are you going to draw the line? Why means test parents for primary education too? Or NHS care?
Some benefits have to be universal and I think nursery education is one of them.

Sorry that should be 'why not means test parents'

Because the benefit of nursery education should be available to all children ana

Arguably it would be because the better off parents can afford to pay, and very often have been paying for the first two years. Its just extra money being handed out to well off parents.

I am not against it on principle but there are so many BETTER ways to spend this money.

If the present free 15 hours nursery education from age 3 is withdrawn, it will mean that some children's free education begins at age 4, and some not until nearly 5, depending on when their birthday falls. Is that fair?

Its perfectly fair because every child gets fourteen years of free education. Those who start young finish young.

If youre concerned aboutt 'fairness' its the fact that under the present nursery funding the August born child gets only one free nursery year while the September born gets two that is unfair.

actually I think it should be made as a non means tested benefit to parents who cut their hours by 15/week to stay at home.

Childcare is such a viscious circle: parents can't afford to not work.. but then can't afford the childcare… so use funded childcare because they have to work.. nobody really benefits!

A benefit allowing one or both parents to cut their hours for under 5s (either 1 parent by 15 hours, or 2 parents at 7.5 each), would not only benefit families more than the childcare hours, it'ld also probably make a significant dent in childhood obesity if parents had an extra day to take kids out to play or to sports/hobbies etc.

would not only benefit families more than the childcare hours, it'ld also probably make a significant dent in childhood obesity if parents had an extra day to take kids out to play or to sports/hobbies etc

It would benefit toddlers with good parents, but would mean a day of being parked in front of the telly for children of negligent parents and in some cases a day without a proper cooked meal.

a lot of "neglect" is actually down to poverty. Ease the financial pressure and some cases of "neglect" are reduced.

There are "bad parents" in every level of the social strata who will be bad parents with or without support. However, there is more "neglect" due to poverty in the lower stratas.

Paying parents to stay home won't irradicate bad parenting, but it'll help those parents who are borderline because of lack of money/support to be better parents.

This is the 30 hour deal which has been proposed. I can find nothing concrete about withdrawing the 15 hour deal. A link would be helpful. So what is the free childcare deal?
"In a nutshell, many working parents of 3 to 4-year-olds in England will be eligible for 30 hours of free childcare - rather than the current 15 hours.
But the first thing you need to know is that this is 30 hours free for only 38 weeks per year - not 52 weeks of the year. It's basically equivalent to school term times. In theory, you may be able to spread the free childcare out over further weeks, but this will mean you'll get fewer than 30 hours free childcare each week.
When will it start?
The Government has been rolling out a pilot scheme in 8 English areas: Wigan, Staffordshire, Swindon, Portsmouth, Northumberland, York, Newham and Hertfordshire. The scheme is scheduled to go nationwide later this year (2017).
Will my child get it?
Not necessarily as not everyone is eligible. But everyone will still receive the 15 hours free childcare that is currently available.
Eligibility rules for 30 hours free childcare:
Your child will be aged 3 or 4 when the scheme starts in your area
Both parents must be working - or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family
Each parent earns, on average, a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage
Each parent must have an annual income of less than £100,000
You live in England"

Meant to add this as my source

www.madeformums.com/news-and-gossip/30-hours-of-free-childcare---will-my-child-get-it/38143.html

notanan

Its a very inefficient unreliable way of ensuring children benefit from the money paid by tax payers. Free nursery places ensure the children benefit.

Each parent must have an annual income of less than £100,000

So even some of the richest 1% get it. Madness

Not closing down Sure Start would have kept many poor parents supported.

I think it is generally recognised that means testing usually turns out not to be cost effective.

A problem from the childcare settings' point of view seems to be that the amount the govt. pays per child is not enough to cover the costs of the provision (staff, premises, resources etc.)

Early education is taken very seriously in New Zealand, although the actual process seems to be packed with fun, discovery and creativity as part of learning. Pre-schools are run by and staffed by those with advanced training in early learning, plus assistants, and they have a formal curriculum. Children leave pre-school with a range of essential skills, such as going to the toilet on their own, using pens, pencils, paintbrushes and glue sticks, sitting quietly when required, such as story time, sharing, taking turns and teamwork and many others. They all have outdoor play areas and access to larger sports facilities. Consequently, five-year-olds are well prepared for their first and following years in school.

Thirty hours is free for three and four year olds. I think there be some conditions but the free hours are not dependent on both parents working and are also available during the school holidays.

Shaping the future in a positive way strikes me as good value for tax-payers' money, but then, of course, we don't have to replace Trident with another wastefully expensive unusable weapon, as NZ is a nuclear-free zone.

Thank goodness I don't have to worry about this, because I don't have young children.

A regressive move, if it goes forward. I know that the cost of good childcare was prohibitive when my DD and DiL needed to return to work which is why I had the grandchildren with me.

Mair many nurses, teachers, etc returning to work struggle with childcare costs.

You only argue in black and white.

Somewhere between the 'well off' (who can afford to stay at home and don't need to return to work) and the 'negligent' are the average to poorly paid who rely on good free childcare.