benefit children but gives parents a new lease of life too, says James
Hempsall.
Every day, I hear powerful testimonies from parents about the opportunities that their free childcare places give them, their children, and their families. As the two-year-old funding entitlement expands to approximately 260,000 children from September, I wanted to share their experiences as they remind us why we are all working hard to make this happen.
These stories span parents taking up studying or education, the impact on their employment opportunities and choices, and the impact on a child's learning and development.
Parents have spoken of the difference in their two-year-olds since receiving the childcare. One, the youngest of three, has improved speech, and 'she's caring and sharing a lot more than she was before', according to her mum. Another child with improved communication is described as 'like a new child', 'confident and making relationships with other children'.
For the child of one mum, the free place enabled him to gradually get used to other children in preparation for when she went back to work full time.
For some, early exposure to school is having a positive impact. One parent says, 'I think that placing a two-year-old in school is the way forward. It's a good way of settling a child in from a young age and it will give them more confidence and help build their relationship quicker with staff.' A Polish mother is particularly happy her two-year-old son is learning English at school. 'It's very important that he starts learning English early because it's his language now,' she explains.
The same Polish mother is attending college to take bookkeeping courses while her children receive care. Another parent, who is studying for a BA in English, told me. 'I would
like to do my Masters, then my PGCE, and go on to be an English teacher.'
And finally, a particularly revealing comment indicates the difference we can make - 'If there was no two-year-old funding, I would just sit at home and do nothing. So it's pretty good.'
James Hempsall is director of Hempsall's (@jhempsall, www.hempsalls.com).