Nursery World - Policy Guide: The Childcare Act 2016

At just eight clauses long, the Childcare Act is the law which brings the 30 hours into force.

The Act became law on 16 March. It makes 30 hours of free childcare for qualifying parents of three- and four-year-olds a legal right.

The Act extends the current 15 hours entitlement to 30 hours free childcare over 38 weeks of the year.

Children will qualify at the start of the school term following their third birthday.

Under the act, local authorities must publish information about free childcare in an area at yearly intervals on the internet and in other forms.

At bill stage, the legislation was attacked by a House of Lords Committee. Schools minister Lord True, whose wife runs a Montessori nursery, said powers provided for in the bill could lead to ‘effective state control of the whole sector by the back door’.

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