PM insists free childcare plan will not force mothers to work
MOTHERS will not be pressured back into work despite ministers fast- tracking an offer of free childcare for threeand four- year- olds, David Cameron pledged yesterday.
The Prime Minister will speed up by a year plans to double the hours of free care, from 15 to 30.
The perk will be introduced in test areas in September 2016 and across England a year later.
But the proposal was criticised after it was confirmed that the offer will not be available to twoparent households where the mother is not in paid work.
However, Mr Cameron insisted the extra hours would give parents choice rather than put pressure on mothers to work.
‘If we want to be a great success, and we want to take on the world and win, then we need to make sure we are making the most of taking on everybody’s talents,’ he told ITV’s This Morning. ‘There are so many talented parents out there who can’t work because of the cost of childcare … if we help them, we’re not saying you have to go out to work, we’re saying we want to give you the choice and that’s good for the whole of the country.’
But Laura Perrins, of pressure group Mothers At Home Matter, said: ‘Single-income families who care for their children at home and save the state money are discriminated against in the tax system.’
Lydia Ketye, of charity What About the Children, said the Government was storing up trouble for future by pushing children into long hours of care. ‘The whole notion of family is completely disregarded … the role of nurturing our youngest children … seems to be less important than pushing parents into the workplace,’ she said, adding: ‘David Cameron talks about making the most of everybody’s talents, but what about using those talents to raise children?’
The Childcare Bill will today spell out how parents will benefit by about £5,000 a year from the free care, up from £2,500. Some 600,000 working families are expected to receive the support.
But providers warned there would be a £354million funding gap without more nursery subsidies. This could force providers to raise rates, undermining any savings that parents get.
The Pre-School Learning Alliance, representing 14,000 childcare providers, warned the existing 15 free hours a week is ‘grossly underfunded’. The plans will be partly paid for by removing pension tax breaks for those earning £100,000 or more a year.
Comment – Page 14
‘Notion of family disregarded’