In addition to the support that the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families (Nadhim Zahawi), my hon. Friend for Stratford-on-Avon referred to in the Answer of 23 July to Question 278350, my department\u2019s Holiday Activities and Food programme is exploring ways to help disadvantaged children access free holiday club provision over the summer holidays, in 11 local authority areas, including Birmingham.<\/p>
This summer, we have awarded £9.1 million to 11 organisations to explore how the funding and coordination of free holiday club provision at a local level can help more disadvantaged children access provision for free, and support providers to improve their offer. With this money, around 50,000 disadvantaged children and their parents will be able to access free holiday club provision, including a healthy meal and enriching activities.<\/p>
The government provides a significant package of childcare support to parents and carers. All 3 and 4 year olds and the most disadvantaged 2 year olds are entitled to receive 15 hours a week of early education for 38 weeks a year. Since 2017, working parents of 3 year olds and 4 year olds have been able to access an additional 15 hours of early education a week, bringing their total to 30 hours a week. The 30 hours policy is worth up to £5,000 a year to families and, since its introduction, around 600,000 children have benefitted. Childcare providers can offer these entitlements stretched across the whole year so that they cover the school holidays.<\/p>
In addition, tax-free childcare was introduced in 2017 to support families with the costs of childcare for 0 to 12 year olds. For every £8 that parents pay into an online account, the government will pay £2 - up to a maximum contribution of £2,000 per child each year - for children aged up to 12. Working parents in receipt of Universal Credit can also claim back up to 85% of eligible childcare costs through Universal Credit for children up to the age of 16, subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1108 for 2 or more children. This will make sure that work pays for families on a low income.<\/p>
The government also recently announced an extra £2.5 million next year to help schools open up their facilities at weekends and over the holidays as part of the School Sport Action Plan.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-03T16:12:51.41Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Day Care"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2019 to Question 278350 on Children: Day Care, what additional support his Department provides to low income households that require childcare during the summer holidays.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"} ], "uin" : "281567"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141845", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141845/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families (Nadhim Zahawi), my hon. Friend for Stratford-on-Avon outlined in the response given to 278350, local authorities are required to secure sufficient childcare in their area, so far as is practicable, for working parents or parents who are studying or training for employment for children aged 0 to 14 (or up to 18 for disabled children).<\/p>
If a parent or carer has a concern about the availability of childcare provision in their area, they should contact their local authority directly in the first instance.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-03T08:30:32.45Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Day Care"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2019 to Question 278350 on Children: Day Care, what support is available for parents of a child with (a) special educational needs and (b) a disability who live in a local authority area which is unable to provide sufficient childcare to meet their needs during the school summer holidays.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"} ], "uin" : "281569"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141846", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141846/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Local authorities are required to secure sufficient childcare in their area, so far as is practicable, for working parents, or parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0-14 (or up to 18 for disabled children). They should report annually to elected members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare, and make this report available and accessible to parents.<\/p>