Meanwhile, Lydia Hodges, head of Coram Family and Childcare, welcomed the clarification in the updated guidance.
'Our research shows that additional charges can be a major barrier to families - particularly disadvantaged families - taking up their funded early education entitlements,' she said.
'Supporting childcare providers through these changes will be essential, to ensure the sector remains stable, but this updated guidance is an important step towards a transparent system that allows parents to make informed choices about their childcare options and enables all children to access their entitlements, particularly those who stand to benefit the most from high quality early education.'
Councillor Arooj Shah, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said, 'We know that charging for consumables has made access to places more difficult for some families, with complex guidance making it difficult for councils to effectively challenge providers in this area. It is extremely helpful that guidance is now being clarified.
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