Nurseries around the UK - both large chains and standalone providers - have voiced their concerns about staying open, following the change in official guidance as to how how much they can claim for staff on furlough.
Nurseries and childminders in Wales piloting the 30 hours will be able to charge parents up to £7.50 a day for meals and snacks and will receive a flat rate of £4.50 an hour.
An analysis of the impact that Government proposals from the 'More Great Childcare' report will have on the childminding sector is being carried out by the Institute of Public Policy Research.
Many providers of before- and after-school clubs are facing closure as schools increase their rents, while a DfE report highlights safeguarding concerns for the sector. By Katy Morton
Many nurseries that plan to offer 30 hour childcare from next month can only do so by limiting places, raising concerns that thousands of working parents could miss out.
The Pre-School Learning Alliance has written to the Department for Education to demand a detailed reply to its e-petition against changes to childcare ratios, now that it has secured the 10,000 signatures needed to prompt a Government response.
The pandemic has led to fewer funded children on roll as well as a decline in registrations from fee-paying parents, putting some settings in financial peril. By Annette Rawstrone
Nearly a fifth of councils in Scotland have no plans to increase funding rates when the 1,140 hours becomes statutory next month, an investigation by NDNA Scotland shows.
The Welsh Government has committed an additional £6 million per year to its funded childcare offer, increasing the hourly rate from £4.50 to £5 per hour from April.