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The Labour Party has pledged to extend the current 30-hours offer to all children aged two- to four-years-old. The party estimates that this will benefit an additional 1.3 million children compared to the existing offer.

 

Currently, funded childcare is only available for some two-year-olds, based on family income. All three- and four-year-olds can also claim 15-hours of funded childcare. From September onwards, some working families will be able to claim an additional 15-hours of funded childcare. The Labour Party has pledged to make these 30-hours universal and extend them to two-year-olds as well.

 

The Labour Party has also pledged to spend an additional £0.5 billion reversing the current government’s cuts to Sure Start children’s centres.

 

Angela Rayner, Labour’s shadow secretary for education, said: “Unlike the Conservatives, Labour will properly fund childcare to help parents get back into work and ensure all children, no matter what their background, have access to the high quality childcare they deserve.”

 

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “Labour is quite right to state that every child, regardless of background, should have the best start in life and we are pleased to see the early years placed so prominently on Labour’s political agenda.”

 

Neil added: “That said, as we warned when Labour’s manifesto was announced, unless this policy is adequately funded then it simply won’t work.”

 

The Alliance also welcomed Labour’s commitment to support Sure Start centres. Neil said: “We welcome Labour’s promise to protect the future of children’s centres, and their pledge to invest more in early intervention. Regardless of who wins the election, it is vital that the next government recognises the importance of these services and takes steps to ensure that those families who are most in need of support have access to it.”