Nursery World - Childcare Bill introduced to Parliament

The Childcare Bill, which will entitle parents to 30 hours of free childcare a week, has had its first reading in the House of Lords.

The Bill was introduced by education minister Lord Nash in the House of Lords yesterday.

It follows the announcement that the Government intends to start a consultation with providers in the next few weeks to review the funding rates for the free hours and bring forward pilots for the 30 hours to September 2016, a year earlier than planned.

The new offer for parents of three- and four-year-olds will be available to working families where all parents in the household work.

The number of hours that parents would need to work to be eligible is yet to be confirmed and is understood that details will be drawn up as part of the ongoing work into the policy.

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