A CHILDCARE project in York has smashed its government target and seen nearly 2,000 children get free care.

Since September the city has been piloting a new Government policy giving parents of three or four-year-old children 30 hours free childcare a week.

The city council has now revealed that in spring term 2017 a total of 1,930 children have taken up their entitlement - 900 more than the target set by the Department for Education.

York Press:

Cllr Stuart Rawlings, City of York’s executive member for children and young people, said: “Parents have told me that they’ve been able to start work again, increase their working hours or even start up their own business because of the extra 30 hours childcare.

“It’s helped take away the financial stress of accessing York’s high quality childcare and has offered them the flexibility their families need.”

During the run up to its launch the scheme was plagued with problems as childcare providers warned funding set by the government was too low.

Helen Gration, who runs two Montessori nurseries in York, has met ministers to talk about problems faced in York and what can be done to make the nationwide roll-out in September a success.

Once the early funding worries were addressed, York council secured 100 per cent sign-up from all the city’s 220 providers of early education places including private nurseries, playgroups, childminders, out-of-school clubs, schools with nurseries and the council-run St Paul’s Nursery.

Cllr Rawlings added: “Thanks to the creativity and dedication of the professionals delivering 30 hours, parents are getting this huge boost. The hard work of nurseries, preschools, playgroups, out of school clubs and childminders together with the council’s own dedicated team is opening doors for parents who may previously have felt as if they were working just to pay for childcare.”

The government has confirmed that nationally 5,400 parents have already been allocated places, and last week it launched its Childcare Choices website at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

The site sets out details of all of the childcare support available for parents.

It also allows them to register for email alerts that will notify them when applications for 30 hours open nationally.