Early years sector warns of infrastructure issues as Government pushes for wider free childcare access.

The Government’s expansion of free childcare for working parents in England has been met with concerns that parents may face disappointment if the proper infrastructure isn’t in place. Early years leaders are warning that while the policy to offer 30 hours of free childcare is a step forward, without sufficient investment and planning, it could lead to significant shortages in care places, particularly for younger children.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has pledged to extend free childcare to parents of children as young as nine months, with the full 30-hour offer to all children under five to be available from 2025. This initiative aims to support parents returning to work by providing additional childcare options. However, providers are sounding the alarm over the capacity of nurseries and childminders to accommodate the increased demand. With many settings closing and workers leaving the sector, there are fears that the additional places needed may not materialise unless proper funding and support are introduced.

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, representing 14,000 childcare providers, said that the sector was already struggling with closures and staff shortages. Unless substantial investment is made in infrastructure, many parents expecting a free childcare place may be left disappointed, he added. Megan Jarvie, from the Coram Family and Childcare charity, echoed these concerns, emphasising the need for sufficient funding to meet the increasing demand. “If the funding is inadequate, the sector is at risk of facing severe shortages, which are already becoming a growing issue,” she warned.

The Government has announced an increase in funding to nurseries providing free childcare, with an additional £204 million in the coming year, rising to £288 million by 2025. However, experts are urging clarity on how the money will be distributed and whether it will be enough to cover the actual cost of delivering the services. Joeli Brearley, founder of the Pregnant Then Screwed charity, stressed that without the correct funding, the expansion of free childcare would be meaningless if there are not enough childcare providers to meet demand.

In response to the growing issue, the Chancellor also revealed plans to adjust staff-to-child ratios in nurseries for two-year-olds, allowing for one adult to care for five children instead of the current four. Although this change is optional, it has raised concerns about the potential impact on staff retention and quality of care. Ms Brearley has called for better pay and more investment to ensure the sector can sustain the increased workload.

Hunt also unveiled plans to ensure all schools offer wraparound care by 2026, to provide more flexibility for working parents. However, experts like Christine Farquharson from the Institute for Fiscal Studies have pointed out that the key to making these reforms successful lies in getting the funding right. With the Government taking charge of such a large proportion of childcare provision, the stakes are high to avoid damaging the quality of care.

Conservative MP Robin Walker acknowledged the challenges the sector faces in scaling up to meet the demand, calling for swift action from the Department for Education to deliver on the promised reforms. The need for a robust and well-funded childcare system remains central to ensuring that working parents, particularly mothers, can access the support they need to return to work.