Original title: More parents to get childcare funding as nurseries struggle with demand
More parents to get childcare funding as nurseries struggle with demand 2 hours ago Share Save Vanessa Clarke Education reporter Share Save Vanessa Clarke/BBC The final phase of the largest-ever expansion of publicly funded childcare support has begun in England, as thousands of working parents receive more help with their nursery costs. Those eligible are now able to access 30 hours of childcare per week during term-time, paid for by the government, for their children aged nine months to four years. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was a “landmark moment” for working families, and that the scheme would “put money back in working parents’ pockets”. But parents say they are facing long waiting lists for places, with nurseries warning that staff shortages are limiting their availability. How working parents can get 30 hours of free childcare Parents Josh Harper and Chloe Hart say their 18-month-old son Oakley’s name was the first one on the waiting list at his new nursery in Altri