Meeting with Whitstable Day Nursery to discuss Early Years support

At a recent surgery, Rosie Duffield MP met with Whitstable Day Nursery to discuss their concerns around the new funding structure within the new Free Childcare for Working Parents framework.

While the Government may be seen to be doing more to help working families by lowering the age that children can receive ‘free childcare hours’, they are not funding nurseries enough, per child, to enable them to breakeven. This has left many parents frustrated when they receive a large invoice to cover the additional costs, despite their ‘free’ hours.

Early Years providers such as nurseries, preschools and childminders are a vital resource for the youngest in society and provide parents with the ability to return to work when they are ready. Devaluing the cost of childcare is having a devastating effect on Early Years Providers and Parents alike.

Rosie has written to the Secretary of State, Bridget Phillipson, to raise these concerns.

Should you wish to support Early Years Providers with their campaign to challenge the government's latest directives, you can do so here.