The Education Secretary stated that women now have the option to have additional children due to the increased availability of free child care services.
Bridget Phillipson praised the 30 hours per week of Government-funded childcare for under-fives, saying it will give mothers the freedom to juggle work with family and consider how many children they want.
During an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Ms Phillipson stated that the rollout would be a significant turning point for families, particularly benefiting working women.
They will have the ability to choose careers suitable for them, along with their preferred working hours. Additionally, they can enjoy the liberty of considering the size of their families and deciding how many children they wish to have, supported by government-provided assistance regarding child care timings.
‘This offers significant advantages for professional women, marking a generational change with the newly established funding.’
Starting from today, working parents whose children will turn nine months old before September 1 can apply for up to 30 hours per week of government-sponsored childcare until their child reaches school-going age.
Ms Phillipson mentioned that many mothers express having just one child was due to being unable to financially support additional children.
She further stated that this additional assistance would enable women to decide their family size based less on uncontrollable situations and more as a sincere choice fitting for their own circumstances.
Ministers state that the program — initially unveiled by the previous Conservative administration — has the potential to save families as much as £7,500 annually for each child.
Ms Phillipson cautioned that every family might not receive their top pick for a nursery, yet she mentioned she has been “working tirelessly to ensure we have as many spots available as we can.”
When in opposition, she expressed her desire for childcare reform akin to the creation of the NHS. She also mentioned to the Mail that overhauling the system was still something she aspired to achieve.
The Education Secretary similarly did not refute claims that increased expenditure on expanding childcare might lead to reduced funding in other areas of her department, following greater-than-expected uptake of the program.
Ms Phillipson stated, “The Treasury wholeheartedly supports this rollout since we understand how significantly the ability of women to select their working hours can influence our economy positively.”
A government study of parents who utilized the childcare benefits in September revealed that the program is aiding working mothers and fathers in boosting their work hours.
The study revealed that over fifty percent of the total participants (1,425 individuals) planning to increase their childcare time also intend to extend their work hours starting in September.
In the meantime, ministers have initiated a consultation on ways to assist nurseries in improving their utilization of outdoor spaces for both play and education activities.
In its initial stages, the government’s early years framework officially acknowledges only indoor areas when determining the number of children that nurseries and childcare providers can accommodate simultaneously. This consultation aims to explore whether secure outdoor spaces should also be considered part of these guidelines.
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