Barnsley’s local authority is one of 16 nationwide selected by the government to help it work towards the ambition for all parents of primary school aged children to access childcare in their local area between 8am and 6pm.
The announcement came as it was revealed that nurseries are set to receive a £204 million cash boost as part of the Government’s promise to deliver the largest ever investment in childcare.
The plans are designed to remove significant barriers to support parents to return to work and help to grow the economy by making childcare more accessible.
Every area across the country is getting a share of the government funding which childcare providers can use to ease cost pressures such as staffing costs, training and bills. Funding rates per child paid from September will increase from an average of £5.29 to £5.62 for three and four-year-olds, and from an average of £6.00 to £7.95 for two-year-olds.
From April 2024, eligible working parents of two-year-olds will get a new offer of 15 free hours per week of free childcare. From September 2024, eligible parents will get 15 free hours from nine months until their children start school, and from September 2025, they will get 30 free hours from nine months until the start of school.
All local authorities will start to receive their share of £289 million in funding from January 2024 to support their delivery of the programme, with parents expected to see an expansion in the availability of wraparound care from September 2024.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt said: “I know the cost of childcare can be a real struggle for parents and can become a barrier to work. That’s why we announced the largest ever expansion of free childcare at Spring Budget, and today we’re increasing hourly funding rates to make sure the system is ready to deliver, including uplifting rates for a two-year-old by a third.”
