£1,000 bonus to sign up as a childcare worker

POTENTIAL childcare workers will be offered £ 1,000 as an incentive to join the sector, it emerged yesterday.

A pilot scheme in 20 authorities will see new or returning early-years staff offered tax-free lump sums as part of a major recruitment drive by the Government. But campaigners said it had been launched ‘too late’ and the proposals are ‘a drop in the ocean’ compared to what is needed to support childcare reforms.

Children and families minister David Johnston guaranteed the Government was ‘pulling absolutely every lever’ to ensure eligible parents will be able to access free childcare.

He told the Mail of careers in the sector: ‘It’s fun, it’s creative but it’s also doing a really important thing for the country and that’s why I hope people will look at this and consider it.’

The Government has vowed to expand its offer of 30 hours per week of free childcare to include youngsters aged nine months to four from September 2025. It will be rolled out in stages, with working parents of two-year- olds able to access 15 hours per week from April.

Currently only eligible working parents of three and four-year-olds get 30 hours of free childcare.

Mr Johnston said he was ‘confident’ about staffing levels for the April expansion, but said the Government wanted to recruit more staff ahead of the autumn.

The Do Something Big campaign will highlight different childcare career routes and the pilot scheme will start from April. But Joeli Brearley, of charity Pregnant Then Screwed, said: ‘These plans are undoubtedly a step in the right direction, but they’re a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed.’