Working parents in Hertfordshire will be among the first in the country to benefit from a pilot of 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds. In September 2016, some parents in Herts will see their entitlement to free childcare double from 15 to 30 hours. The County Council is working on eligibility requirements now. This is part of the Government pilot for the scheme before it is rolled out nationally in 2017.

In July I heard that the Department was going to test the scheme before 2017 so I wrote to the Childcare Minister asking that the pilot be held in Watford and Herts. I am pleased that he listened and local parents will be the first to benefit from this and that the high quality childcare providers here will be at the forefront of this new scheme, showing other areas how it can work. As part of this campaign, I met with Cassio Pre School (pictured below) to discuss how local childcare providers would be able to deliver the extension of hours. 

Doubling free childcare for parents of 3 and 4 year olds was a key pledge in our manifesto and one I am proud we have delivered this for some Watford parents a year earlier than promised. 

From 2017, 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds is open to families where both parents work (or the sole parent is working in a lone-parent family) 16 hours a week or more and earn less than £100,000.

For further information please visit http://www.richardharrington.org.uk/news/30-hours-free-childcare-pilot-…