The launch of a new scheme to support working parents would have been welcomed in the Spring budget of 2023, allowing working parents of two year-olds to apply for 15 hours of free childcare during term time. The pressures and costs associated with childcare when a parent is working can be quite something, and in some ways a deterrent to actually working. So the news of free childcare would certainly help. However, as with any policy on such a scale, it has to be properly planned, thought out and implemented. It appears as though this hasn't... A survey of Pregnant Then Screwed garnering 4,500 responses found that 69% had not yet been able to apply for it yet and 17% didn't actually understand it! The complications of the system and communication between the government, local authorities and providers seems to be a little confused. This could lead to breakdown in rolling out the system and impacting on the support available to parents. Not good. Have a read of the article below and comment with your thoughts and views.
Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA
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