a hangover after a raucous party - exhausted, with a headache, and
counting the casualties.
Now heads are clearing, and although the end result of the election, with an outright Conservative majority, was not one that the polls anticipated, it's time to move forward.
The Conservative pledge to double free childcare hours for working parents of three- and four-year-olds to 30 a week may or may not be one that they expected to actually have to deliver, but it's now on the cards and due to go into the Queen's speech later this month.
As our exclusive story just before the election pointed out, expert analysis suggests that the cost of this policy will be far more than the £350m allocated, at £1.2bn, even before the promised review of funding rates.
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