Northumberland County Council prepared for increase in free childcare places
Bosses at Northumberland County Council say they are prepared for the expansion of free childcare.
Parents can now access 30 hours of free childcare a week from the age of nine months old until their child starts school.
The Government-funded childcare has been rolled out in three stages – initially, there was just 15 hours a week for children aged two and older, with this expanded to children from nine months old last year.
Despite the lengthy roll-out period, there had been some concern that some local authorities would struggle to achieve the required staff and nursery places to cope with new demand.
Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, cabinet member for education, said: “We’re well prepared for the expansion of free childcare to 30 hours a week that was brought in by Rishi Sunak. We have had a couple of years to prepare and we can say we’re certain that nursery provision in Northumberland is ready.
“Maybe other parts of the country have had problems, but certainly we haven’t. Parents will need to read their contracts with their nursery and understand them – there’s certain things they can charge for and others they can’t.
“Parents need to be careful on what they’re being asked to pay for. However, nurseries in Northumberland have always done really well.”
Meanwhile, Northumberland Labour leader Coun Scott Dickinson has called on the county’s schools to apply for Government funding that would make them part of the next wave of new or expanded nurseries directly on the grounds of existing primary schools.
The scheme aims to make life easier for working parents by cutting down the school run and giving children a seamless start to their education.
Cllr Dickinson said: “Working families need all the help they can get. Labour has already extended 30 hours free childcare – worth up to £7,500 per child per year – and now we are going further, making life easier by reducing the pressures of the school run.
“Local schools can apply to form part of the next wave of school-based nurseries – and receive up to £150,000 in funding. That’s good for schools, good for parents and good for children too. I hope lots of local schools apply.”