THE experiences of parents and carers will help shape the way additional free childcare is provided next year.

East Sussex County Council will introduce 30 hours of extended free childcare from September 2017 and is asking members of the public for their views on how this is best provided.

Currently all three to four year olds receive 15 hours of free childcare a week during term time, but the new system would extend this to 30 hours for working parents.

The additional hours are available to families in which;
• both parents are working and each parent earns, on average, less than £100,000
• a sole parent is working in a lone parent family
• weekly earnings are equivalent to 16 hours at national minimum wage (NMW) or national living wage (NLW)

“We are hoping the feedback given by parents and carers will ensure that the way in which the extended free childcare is offered works for those who need it,” said Fiona Wright, Assistant Director for Education and ISEND. “The information we receive may also help us to improve current childcare provision.”

The consultation, which is open until July 8 2016, asks for views on how places might be delivered more flexibly, provision for children with special educational need or disabilities and information about childcare for parents.

The survey is anonymous and all answers will be kept confidential. To take part click here