Finally, the government has decided to throw a lifeline to mothers who actually want to work but are powerless to do so because of the crippling cost of childcare.
The chancellor George Osborne is expected to announce in his Autumn Statement that more than 250,000 toddlers will be given free nursery or childcare places in an attempt to help mothers get back to work.
In his long-awaited Autumn Statement, the Chancellor will outline a £650?million scheme to provide free “early education†for about 40 per cent of two year-olds, ie those from mainly disadvantaged families. The money will be distributed by local authorities.
At present, all three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of nursery education for 38 weeks of the year through the Nursery Education Grant.
The Labour government had piloted a scheme in some boroughs extending the Nursery Education Grant to two year olds, but put a hold on the rollout when the credit crunch started. So, while this seems all together new, it really isn’t.
As well as helping mothers to return to work at least part-time, the move is aimed at narrowing Britain’s growing social divide.
