Dropping the eligibility cap for Tax-Free Childcare would free up £150m to pay for foster carers to access the 30 hours, the chair of the Education Select Committee has said.
Robert Halfon MP said it was ‘indefensible’ that foster carers were excluded from accessing the 30 hours and proposed cutting the earnings threshold from £100,000 per parent to £65,000.
He also said the 30 hours eligibility criteria should be changed so that unemployed parents could access it.
Mr Halfon said, ‘The exclusion of fostered children is indefensible. Foster carers raise some of society’s most vulnerable children, many of whom would benefit from high-quality childcare, which would help boost social development.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here