Government accused of ‘locking out’ poorest from flagship free childcare scheme

THE GOVERNMENT has been urged to drop the need for both parents to be in work to qualify for 30 hours of free childcare a week to help close the attainment gap for disadvantaged children.

Labour accused the Tories of “locking out” the poorest youngsters from its flagship early years scheme, but Education Secretary Damian Hinds said the policy “supports working families”.

At Education Questions in the Commons, Labour’s Shadow Early Years Minister and Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin said “communication, articulacy and oracy are absolute keys to closing the disadvantage gap”.

She said: “A child with poor vocabulary at five and under is twice as likely to be unemployed at 30. And we know high-quality early years education can make that massive difference for disadvantaged children.”

Ms Brabin asked: “Sadly, the Minister chooses to lock out the most disadvantaged youngsters out of the 30 hours of free childcare

“Doesn’t the Minister agree that in order to make a serious attempt at closing this disadvantage gap he must drop the ‘both parents have to be in work’ qualifying entitlement for 30 hours free childcare?”

In response, Mr Hinds said 154,960 disadvantaged two-yearolds benefit from the 15 hours free entitlement programme, adding: “A programme never available under any Labour government.”

The Cabinet Minister went to say: “And as for the increase in eligibility from 15 to 30 hours, that supports working families and helps to sustain employment. And may I gently remind her that we have record levels of employment in this country and the lowest level of unemployment since the 1970s.”

Ms Brabin also brought up the issue of funding for Maintained Nursery Schools, as hundreds of headteachers are due to protest outside Downing Street yesterday.