New budget - I'm excited!

Livinginanotherworld - you are spot on! The government is sending out a message that sahm are lazy / not pulling their weight. I support help with childcare costs for those who need / want it but the messaging is all wrong and, as a sahm, I find it really insulting and upsetting.

Maybe the government thinks it will be a vote winner for them in the next general election, regardless of whether they can actually deliver all these 'free' hours. If they somehow manage to win the next election and don't deliver this childcare promise they can blame it on all the childcare settings that have gone bust.

Which chain do you work for that are comfortable operating outside of the rules?

I guess in real terms 30 hours for the limited yearly amount (what is it 36 weeks?) works out at 2.5 days in a full time daycare where you have to book long days all year.

So it's not covering full time childcare unless you go to a term time nursery.

Got to work atleast 16 hours to get it

Also , shouldn’t the 30 hours childcare be for parents who genuinely are working? Not just for people to dump their kids so they can let nurseries look after their kids for no reason.

The enhanced childcare proposals won’t happen for over two years. Won’t help people now.
Also,how does the government think this will be facilitated? There won’t be enough places for everyone.

PP true to some extent, but also some kids really enjoyed being at home - either way lockdown is an extreme example of social isolation and not evidence that all children thrive in the opposite of that - wraparound care, school, holiday clubs, full time nursery.

I have mixed feelings about the sentiments behind the budget whilst acknowledging it'll help many of my friends and so many single parents.

On another level I just feel motherhood, or parenthood has been diminished and that children are a problem and that children's well-being isn't being thought of. Especially as ratios are to be increased at nursery.

Motherhood is reduced to an annoying roadblock to being apparently a much more useful unit of economic growth.

I suggest you do your research on that. You only have to look at covid and the impact lockdowns had on the social development of pre school children.
Well this eejit has bills to pay and a roof to keep over my kids head!

I agree but no government cares about your child or you. What they want is every single adult working and paying tax. That's what providing "free" childcare about really comes down to.

People are eejjits if they think young children (with the obvious exceptions) thrive in childcare settings verus home with family.

ahhh @dottydarkness pray tell - who, in a few years time when you need a carer or a consultant or a bin man or an electrician or a teacher or a waitress (shall I carry on) will those people be? because you are aware that the birth rate in this country is declining because of things like the cost of childcare aren't you?

Don't also forget that, all of us paying taxes now are paying for CURRENT state pensions, hospitals etc etc (whatever people think, it's not a savings pot)

so, again, in years to come - wouldn't you like there to be a tax paying society to fund YOUR pension and NHS etc etc?

You do indeed sound like a massive Tory ‘dearie’.

my nursery fees have just increased by 10% due to COL….

now 1400 a month - that extra money aligned with mortgage increase means that a previously two waged and comfortable household who made a decision to have a 2nd child in 2021 is now firmly on the breadline - not a sob story, there are millions more worse off.
It’s not a case of ‘funding lifestyle choices’ childcare prices in this country are utter dog shit and a complete embarrassment when compared to other European countries.

The issue for me is that childcare is far too expensive in the first place. High quality childcare should be available to all those that require it but at a fair price. I dont have children by the way so I dont have an agenda.

Here we go. So let's not make childcare affordable which then means a huge section of society are not able to afford to have children. This is not the 1950s where people could afford to live in a house with one wage. My childcare costs for 3 days are £860 per month, more than my mortgage! Do you think that is fair? I work part time and do the minimum hours possible to be able to afford to contribute to our living costs and also to be able to look after my children. As a working Mum I am proud to show my children that I do work and how important that is after spending many years building up my career. If I simply stopped working then it would take me a long time to get back to where I was which would then mean more financial hardship for my family in the long run. We have a house big enough for us and food on the table because I do work. Lets not forget the economical benefits of women working as well and also the fact that children thrive socially in childcare. I also work in health care and actually feel that my job is important in helping people.
So no I will not stop.moaning about the cost of childcare!

@Hairfriar
No cruse for me . I'm actually on the flip side of this.
DD is a nanny and her family have been very upfront that once they get the free childcare they will let her go and take up the free hours . So depending on when the new free hours start will determine when she needs to look for another family.

No - don't book the Caribbean cruise just yet. 😬

@Hairfriar
Thank you , so no point getting too excited just yet at it could be next year 🤣

It's not even been announced yet.

When would this new funding start ?

Let me guess, you're the business analyst for this national chain? With economic axioms like "demand will always increase supply" got to be.

Its completely irrelevant if its not properly funded. Already the free hours for over twos are cross subsidised by inflating the price for younger children making it harder for women to return to work after mat leave and retain job/career continuity.

Many nurseries don't even offer the free hours now because they are not properly funded.

Judging by comments on the morning round for people running nursery businesses there has been precious little discussion with the sector on how this is going to work. That doesn't auger well - it smacks of posturing rather than any real investment in early years.

Comedy gold

@dottydarkness no nerves ‘dearie’, my childcare’s only half what I take home and we don’t actually need my salary either, but it’s not about me. There is a net societal and tax gain from better childcare funding, making it about individuals ‘banging out children they can’t afford’ as you so nicely put it just completely ignores this. The country would benefit overall from childcare being better funded, both now and in the future.

If all the mums of preschoolers you know are run ragged perhaps the fathers need to step up and do their share.

I'd be fine with a scandi style extended part time option with the proviso that it must be shared between parents and not default to the mother but the main challenge I see our returning mothers facing is that they end up doing way more than half the work.