What do you think about giving the unemployed 30 hours free childcare?

Also, you know they are going to make getting a place in a nursery more difficult too!

I think this is a positive step in reducing health/education inequalities in a lot of children. They go to nursery and get a nutritious meal, socialisation, education. Take the parents out of the equation this will benefit the kids.

i am employed, however i don’t agree. nursery is their chance to prepare for school, to interact with other children their age, to learn how to share with classmates etc. i personally believe that nursery plays a great role in their development

Im an employed single mom, I dont think they should get as many hours as they do.
There is some good from maybe 15 free hours to allow for interviews and for the children to socialise ready for school, but 30 hours free is honestly a bit of a joke...
Especially since my own working parents funding doesnt kick in at the same time as my child starting nursery due to term dates.

I think this is a little narrow minded, personally. Some people will genuinely be looking for work and there are benefits to children being in childcare, and therefore maybe reframe your viewpoint around thinking about the children it helps instead of what you think of their parents. It might make you feel less frustrated! I work, and it doesn't bother me that others are entitled to the same hours as me! I'm more fuming with the unregulated, unfairly taxed rich and those in power.

Yes I don’t agree with this at all, it’ll make getting a place for working parents near impossible. They get hours from age 3 anyway for the socialisation aspect. Also then REALLY don’t then agree with the fact that if one parent earns over a certain amount it’s cut. That makes no sense at all.

It will get to a point where the kids who need a place in nursery (parents who work full time) won't get a place. That's the whole point of nursery, it's day care not school. They have pre school for that...
Unemployed parents can teach their children these things at home. Ive seen a huge improvement in my toddler since I've been at home during maternity leave. Even potty training, I took annual leave to teach him that.

That's great for you and your child. There are lots of benefits to having a parent stay home. I think you're forgetting that perhaps people have less education and resources than you. May have more children than you. May have an additional needs child that means they cannot work. It's too nuanced for your blanket statement.

Depends on the situation! As someone who has utilized this resource, it has helped me gets on my feet. I’m a single mom of 3 with no help from family. I needed help so that I could find a job and start working. At one point, I was even in college while receiving these benefits. I also received child care assistance due to domestic violence. Never know what someone’s back story is or what they’re going through.

I didn't think people unemployed were entitled to the free funding as its for "working parents"

Where I live after a while they make you go to a job center or look for a job

Is this happening then? I've not heard anything about it?

The one who's resigning? 😂

It's not even happened yet so I wouldn't get too worked up about it. And it's never as it appears - people without kids often think that nursery is just free if you're working 😂 but there are other hidden costs and caveats that would still price out people who are unemployed. Whilst there may be some people who fit into your narrow category, it does sound like you have a certain amount of prejudice against the unemployed - they aren't all sitting at home living the dream life buying whatever they want with no cares in the world. When you're home with your kids especially as a single parent you can't even make a dentist appointment if you don't have childcare support(as many don't). And as others have said, this could help children. Not just educational - it could mean eyes on kids who are falling behind/malnourished/mistreated at home who otherwise may not have entered the school system until much later.

I don't think of SAHMs as unemployed tbh. I guess technically I am unemployed but that's in part a privilege and in part a sacrifice I make for my husband's career. I would have been able to return to work if the funding was universal and actually that would have been my preference. We have the 15 hours now and it's made a huge difference to my life. Maybe 30 is high but I reckon if anything like this came in there would be conditions attached.

I think it’s beneficial for parents to have childcare in place while looking for work. I personally would of benefited from it as one my asd son as out of school which meant my youngest couldn’t socialise and I paid £80 per month for her to go to preschool to help her speech (she had a severe speech disorder).
That said I’d rather they used the money so all kids can have a full time education and provide schemes where Sen parents can work.