Sir Keir Starmer has hailed the expansion of funded childcare in England amid warnings nurseries may not have enough staff to deliver the plan.
From Monday, eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours a week of free childcare for children older than nine months under the full rollout of the scheme.
This expansion will benefit more than half a million children and save parents £7,500 per year per child, the Department for Education (DfE) said.
It comes as the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) warned that workforce challenges must be addressed to ensure the early years sector can recruit and retain nursery staff to meet the demands of the rollout.
While growth in staff numbers is currently “on track” to meet the Government’s estimated targets for the childcare expansion, the NFER report has warned that this “may not necessarily continue”.
However, the Prime Minister praised Monday’s rollout as a “promise made and a promise delivered”.
He added: “It’s a landmark moment for working families across the country, and a clear sign that our Plan for Change is not just words – it’s action.
“We said we’d put money back in working parents’ pockets and give children the best start in life, and today we’re doing just that.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said of the expansion: “It was never going to be easy, but against all odds we’ve delivered through our Plan for Change.
“And this is just the beginning.
“My vision for early years goes beyond this milestone.
“I want access to high-quality early years for every single family that needs it, without strings and without unfair charges.”
Among the challenges early years providers face in recruiting and retaining staff is that pay is low compared with that in the general workforce, the NFER report said.
Early years workers earned on average 36% less than similar workers in 2022/23, though the median hourly wage has increased relative to the minimum wage to £2 per hour more in 2023/24.
The organisation has called on the Government to continue increasing funding rates for early years providers to allow them to offer “competitive” wages and pay higher rates to staff with more experience and qualifications.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said the Government must put “significant effort” into improving the status and pay of early years roles.
“For more childcare places to exist, more staff are needed and, while recruitment efforts have been successful in the short term, more is urgently needed,” he added.
The expansion of funded childcare – which was first introduced by the Conservative government – began being rolled out in England in April 2024 for eligible working parents of two-year-olds.
Working parents of children older than nine months were able to access 15 hours of funded childcare a week during term time from September 2024, and the full rollout of 30 hours a week to all eligible families starts this month.
The expansion of funded childcare will have economic benefits, including helping businesses retain skilled staff and raising living standards, the DfE said.
Monday’s rollout is accompanied by a new Best Start in Life website, launched by the Government, which will offer parents support and advice for topics including preparing a child to start school, childcare and pregnancy.
