An independent evaluation of the offer finds increased
working hours, greater flexibility and improved finances among
benefits for parents.
Extra money in the bank and more flexible working lives – these
are just some of the benefits of access to 30 hours free
childcare, an independent evaluation has found.
Making his first visit to a nursery delivering 30 hours
yesterday, Monday 17 July, Children’s Minister confirmed the findings of
the government’s Early Implementer programme, which has seen
thousands of parents access a free childcare place.
He also announced that the number of parents now accessing a 30
hours place has tripled since April, with nearly 15,000 places
being delivered – an increase of over 9,000 in just two months
thanks to the successful roll out in four new council areas.
Minister for Children and Families said:
In just a few short weeks as Children’s Minister I have already
heard time and time again of how 30 hours is improving the
lives of families in these areas, many of whom had previously
found the cost or availability of childcare a real worry.
I’m delighted with the success of our Early Implementer
programme, which is now not only anecdotal but confirmed in
this independent evaluation. From cutting household costs to
increasing the quality time working parents can spend with
their children, access to 30 hours is giving families a real
boost.
The hard work of all the professionals involved in early roll
out has been vital, and I’m determined to continue working with
them to drive momentum ahead of the national launch in
September.
The Early Implementer evaluation, carried
out by Frontier Economics, surveyed providers and parents in the
eight councils who began delivering 30 hours last September.
The key findings include:
- Parents – nearly a quarter of mothers (23%) and one in 10
(9%) fathers – reported they had increased their working hours as
a result of access to 30 hours, particularly those with lower
incomes;
- More than three quarters (78%) of parents reported greater
flexibility in their working life as a result of 30 hours;
- The vast majority of parents reported improved finances as a
result of 30 hours: 84% reported they had slightly or much more
money to spend; and
- Providers were willing and able to offer 30 hours and there
was no evidence of funding being a substantial barrier to its
delivery.
Researchers also carried out in-depth interviews with parents,
who told them 30 hours had resulted in considerable financial
savings while also reducing the burden they had previously felt
while struggling to make ends meet. They reported having more
money to spend on activities and trips with their children, to go
on holiday, or even to contribute to a deposit on new homes.
Demand from parents for childcare places in the first eight Early
Implementer areas – Hertfordshire, Newham, Northumberland,
Portsmouth, Staffordshire, Swindon, Wigan and York – saw the
programme exceed initial targets of 5,000 places.
Now the next four councils to launch the offer – Dorset,
Leicestershire, North Yorkshire and Tower Hamlets – have seen
more than 9,300 parents successfully apply for 30 hours since 1
April. This includes nearly 1,600 in Dorset, where parents have
been applying via the government’s online Childcare Service.
The Department for Education also confirmed, based on learnings
from the four subsequent areas of early roll out which are
testing specific elements of 30 hours delivery, that it has
provided further information on charging to support childcare
providers get ready for the national go-live in September.
Updated operational
guidance sets out the expectation that parents taking up
the offer of a free childcare place should pay for meals, while
making clear that there must be an opt-out for parents who cannot
or do not want to pay.
Alongside this, a series of case studies has also
been published, demonstrating good practice from councils and
providers preparing for 30 hours delivery in September, as well
as an updated FAQs document.
The 30 hours offer, which will be available for working parents
of three and four-year-olds in England from September, could save
families around £5,000 per year on the cost of childcare, helping
them to balance their jobs and family lives.
Evaluation of the four additional early roll out areas is
currently being carried out. Taken together with today’s
publication, these will give a robust analysis of the programme
to date, although there are limitations for generalising all
findings to national roll out.
