The start of September is a busy time for parents. As children return to the classroom, I know many families in my constituency will be rushing around to make sure that they have everything ready for the new school year.
It’s a good time for MPs to reflect on what more the Government can do to support parents and carers with the difficult task of balancing work and family life.
The beginning of a new school year also marks the return of MPs to Parliament. Over the summer, Parliament rises for recess, giving MPs much-needed time to meet with constituents, organisations and local businesses in their patches and listen to their concerns about how Westminster is working for them.
I’m thankful to people who have spoken to me about a wide range of topics, from the role of pharmacies in improving community healthcare to safeguarding children at risk of domestic violence. These conversations make me a better MP, allowing me to arrive back into parliament with a full list of asks that I can feed into the Westminster machine.
High up on that list is support for working parents. Last week, I attended a Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Plus event at Northumbria University. I’ve worked with HAF since it was trialled in Gateshead in 2023, and I’ve seen how it provides activities and food to children from lower-income families, relieving parents of the extra costs incurred over the summer.
At the event, young people took part in a large variety of activities, from baking to mixed martial arts. There were great food and drinks on offer and most importantly, a strong sense of the community coming together to support our young people.
Going into the event, I was thrilled to see that the Government has invested a further £600m to extend the Best Start Holiday Activities and Food programme for another three years. This funding will enable the project to carry on its vital work to close the development gap and boost confidence and social skills in our young people. Half a million children have already benefitted from HAF programmes, and thanks to this announcement, even more children and their parents will see the benefits of the scheme.
But for working parents, that is just the start. Parents are used to making sacrifices for their family. But sometimes they’re forced into decisions that don’t make sense. I’ve heard from parents who have had to turn down one opportunity after another to get on with their jobs and careers once they’ve had a child.
Childcare is just costing too much – for families, for the economy, and for parents who want to work but aren’t able to do so due to their caring responsibilities. So, I’m delighted that this week, the largest expansion of childcare in this country’s history reaches new heights, thanks to the Government. Against all odds, from this term, we’re on track for over half a million families to get access to 30 hours of Governmentfunded childcare per week. That’s a promise made, and a promise delivered from Labour.
Labour is getting on and delivering a key milestone in our Plan for Change to unlock opportunities for every child, whatever their background.
It hasn’t been easy, given what we encountered when we took office. The Tories left behind a pledge without a plan, but we’ve put the work in to ensure that we can deliver. Today, more than 9 in 10 parents are getting their preferred childcare place – that’s nearly on par with the success rate parents have in getting primary school places. With this new support, Labour is putting up to £7,500 a year back in parents’ pockets.
And whilst children are in school, they continue to benefit from Labour’s continued rollout of breakfast clubs and the biggest ever expansion in free school meals eligibility. So as school gates open and children are welcomed back, we’re making sure that they will have the support they need to learn and achieve. There is no opportunity that is too good for children in the North East. With Labour, the sky is the limit.