The political party’s manifesto, published today, outlines plans to remove restrictions that limit parents to using only Ofsted-registered childcare providers to take up their free hours.
National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) warned the proposals raised safeguarding concerns.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the NDNA, said, ‘This proposal opens up the possibility for taxpayers’ money to be used to pay for childcare at organisations that are not subject to regulation. This raises safeguarding concerns.
‘Free childcare is about helping parents to work but also, crucially, for their children to be safe and happy with a professional, high-quality childcare provider equipped to give them a great start to learning.’
UKIP’s manifesto also proposes carrying out a ‘far-reaching’ review of childcare provision, which it says is urgently needed to deregulate and simplify an ‘increasingly fragmented system’.
Other plans include extending the primary school day by offering wrap-a-round childcare from 8am to 6pm during term time, as well as a requirement for local authorities to keep a register of childcare providers willing to provide emergency childcare cover at short notice.
UKIP would also create a fund worth £80 million a year to help childminders and smaller childcare providers that employ five people or fewer to open their doors to more children with special needs. Grants of up to £3,000 would be available for providers to adapt their premises to make them more accessible, and to equip staff with specialist training and equipment.
The closure of special schools would be reversed and the party would ensure all schools are accessible to disabled learners and individual support is in place for each child.
The political party would cut business rates by 20 per cent for the 1.5 million British businesses operating from premises with a rateable value of less than £50,000.
On schools, UKIP says it stands by its 2015 pledges to abolish Key Stage One SATs and end sex education in primary schools.
