Council calling on Lincolnshire parents to share their views on childcare

The council is working to ensure there are sufficient childcare places for working parents, parents studying/training, for children with special educational needs, and for children to access their funded entitlement.

It comes as the government has brought in its pledge to increase childcare support from this month. By September 2025, most working families with children under the age of five will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support.

Coun Patricia Bradwell, executive member for children’s services, said: “During this year and the next, the government is significantly expanding the childcare support available to working parents. So, it’s vital that parents have access to suitable childcare, so they can make the most of the support available and go out to work, study or train."

The changes are being introduced gradually to make sure that providers can meet the needs of more families. This means that:

From April 2024, eligible working parents of two-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours childcare support.

From September 2024, 15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of nine months to three-year-olds.

From September 2025, eligible working parents with a child from nine months old up to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.

Like the existing offer, depending on your provider, these hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week.

Although the authority does not provide childcare directly, it works closely with private, voluntary, and independent providers and schools to shape and support the development of local provision to ensure it’s flexible, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of the community.

As part of this process, the council is asking parents to complete a short survey to help the authority assess the need for childcare places across the county.

Coun Bradwell said: “The information provided through this survey will help identify any gaps locally, which we can then look to address with providers. Please take the time to share your views, so we can ensure the childcare sector meets local needs.”

The survey runs from April 16 to May 14 and can be found online at www.letstalk.lincolnshire.gov.uk/childcaresurvey2024