All parents will be able to access childcare under expanded offer, says education secretary

The education secretary has claimed all parents will be able to access childcare under the Government’s expanded offer, amid warnings many will miss out. Gillian Keegan told MPs on Monday (11 March) that government projections show more than 150,000 new funded places will be secured by early April. She replied “absolutely” when challenged by Labour to commit to guaranteeing that all parents in England will be able to access place. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last year announced that eligible families of children as young as nine months will be able to claim 30 hours of free childcare a week by 2025. Watch more on Independent TV: Click here to subscribe to The Independent: About The Independent: Making Change Happen. The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. Connect with The Independe