Applications open for funded hours for nine-month-olds, but sector warns of difficulty finding a place

As of yesterday (12 May), eligible working parents of children who will be nine months old by 31 August can apply to access 15 hours of funded childcare a week, from September.

However, the sector has raised doubts about whether settings will have enough capacity to meet demand for the second phase of the extended entitlement, following estimates by the Department for Education (DfE) that an extra 15,000 places are needed.

The Early Years Alliance has flagged that unlike the first phase of the extended offer, which rolled out in April and has mainly benefitted existing parents paying privately for childcare, a lot of parents taking up the funded hours for nine-month-olds will be new to childcare settings.

The National Day Nurseries Association advised parents to speak with their local providers as soon as possible and said they may struggle to find a ‘suitable’ place.

Concerns have previously been raised that parents taking up the new funded hours, might not be able to get the days and hours they need, and that they are likely to have to pay for consumables or additional hours to get the places they need.

Children and families minister David Johnson has now said that the DfE is closely looking at instances where settings require parents to pay 'unjustifiable' charges.

Parents will be 'left without options'

The Liberal Democrats have warned that parents registering for funding will be ‘left without options’ as new research also highlights a drop in childcare places generally.

Carried out by the House of Commons Library, on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, the research reveals that as of August 2023, there were 56,000 fewer places than in 2019.

It finds that some areas of the country have become ‘childcare deserts’, losing more than 25 per cent of registered places.

The research also shows that the number of providers fell by a fifth between August 2019 and 2023.

Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said, ‘This Conservative Government has created childcare deserts through their years of neglect. This stark postcode lottery means that parents in many areas of the country are left completely without options.

'Free hours are no good if parents can’t find a good nursery or childminder for their child – and thanks to this Government's underfunding millions of parents now face the almost impossible task of finding childcare.  

'There are fewer providers, less choice for parents and no guarantee they will find a place for their child at all.’

'Our full expansion will save parents an average of £6,900 a year'

Commenting on applications opening for parents of nine-month-olds to apply for a funded place, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said,‘Last year we promised the biggest ever expansion in childcare provision in history and we are delivering. Over 210,000 children have already benefited from 15 hours of Government funded care and parents of 9-month-olds can apply from today.

‘Our full expansion will save parents an average of £6,900 a year, meaning no parent has to choose between their career and caring for their child.’