Posted 4/2/2024, 10:26:00 AM
Sunak defends free childcare expansion amid nursery sector warnings
- Sunak dismisses claims that nurseries lack capacity for expanded free childcare plan
- Points to efforts to boost nursery staff levels and number of places over past year
- Early years sector warns of deepening crisis with nurseries struggling financially
- Labour under pressure over whether it would retain free hours childcare system
- Speculation Sunak could call early election in June/July to avoid leadership challenge after local elections