Childcare bill could contain threat of jail term for parents critics warn.

[HelenaDove]

Reading this article there just seems to be layer upon layer of bureaucracy.
It just sounds ludicrous.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/childcare-bill-contains-threat-of-two-years-in-jail-for-parents-critics-warn-10334263.html

Yep...nothing like threatening working parents with jail...and will it be used for those committing fraud or will it actually end up punishing those who have made a genuine admin error?

All working/non working parents/non parents are threatened with jail, or at least the chance of it if they commit fraud though, so I don't see why this is different?

I'm not sure they'll end up jailing people for genuine admin errors, any more than they do now when benefit errors are made.

I imagine they'll get the chance to pay the money back before being sent to the slammer, just like tax credits etc.

Then why mention it at all, if it's already the case?

And why threaten providers? There is previous form over this with tax credits: providers were prosecuted because parents using their services had fraudulently claimed. Well, hey! Fraudsters lie to us, too!

probably a stupid question but why is it only for 3-4 year olds what about younger children?

It started out as free Early Years education under the Labour Government. Since it was preschool education, it was offered to the preschool years.

At first, it was only available at nurseries and preschools. Then Accredited Childminders were allowed to offer it as they had access to extra training, a qualified teacher and a SENCO through the Network.

It increased from 2.5 to 3 hours per session. Labour were planning to increase it from 5 to 10 sessions when their plans had to be shelved due to the banking crisis. Then they lost the election.

Under Labour, it was free education. Under the Coalition and under the Conservatives, it is free childcare.
That's why it's been on offer for 3 and 4 year olds.

It's my opinion that the promise of 30 free hours of childcare was a last minute promise made in the hope of trumping Labour's promise of 25 hours free Early Years education. There wasn't time to consider the details or explore extending it to younger children.

Bit shocked second parent only has to work 8 hours for 30 free hours of childcare. Surely that figure should be higher