questionText: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of childcare support for parents seeking to enter or return to employment; whether she has assessed the extent to which the number of funded childcare hours available aligns with the working patterns of parents undertaking part-time employment; and whether she plans to review (a) eligibility criteria for childcare support, (b) the availability of funded childcare outside term time and (c) the accessibility of childcare provision in locations close to where families live and work.
answerText: We are investing over £1 billion more in the early years entitlements this year compared to 2025/26 and an above inflation increase to entitlements funding rates. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements. Coram–P...
heading: Childcare