Nursery closures threaten free child care LINK.
Parents struggling to make a shared parenting arrangement work will be relieved to have the 15 hours of free childcare for over 3 year olds provided by the government, despite them increasing the ratio of staff to children from 1:4 up to 1:5. There is a further increase in free hours due from April 2024. Eligible working parents will get 15 free hours for two-year-olds from September 2024, 15 free hours will be available from nine months, and from September 2025, 30 free hours will be available from nine months until the start of school.
But a recent announcement from the National Day Nursery Association (NDNA) have announced 400 nurseries closed last year, with the sector blaming "chronic underfunding" and rising costs. This of course is no help to desperate parents if by 2025 your child has started school and has no need of the free child-care offer. We would like to point out that care from the other parent is often available loving and free.
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