Nursery World - Nurseries challenge childcare minister on 30-hours policy

Nursery owners have criticised children and families minister Robert Goodwill, claiming that comments he made to providers after a meeting in Westminster show a ‘lack of knowledge and understanding’ of 30-hours funding.

Following yesterday’s debate in Westminster Hall on the 30 hours, Mr Goodwill was accosted by childcare providers invited to the House of Commons, including members of the Champagne Nurseries, Lemonade Funding (CNLF) campaign group, who spoke of their concerns about the policy and asked him a number of questions about its delivery.

During the conversation, Mr Goodwill said that settings are now receiving more money to deliver the 15 and 30 hours of funded childcare under the early years national funding formula.

While one provider in the crowd from Hertfordshire, who cannot deliver the extended entitlement because of restrictions on the use of the church hall the pre-school operates from, agreed she is receiving more money for the funded hours than before, other providers said this was not the case.

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