A local nursery is offering a helping hand to parents during the cost-of-living crisis by offering 30 hours of free childcare.

Summerseat School Nursery is offering 30 hours of free childcare provision for threeand four-year-olds including to  families not entitled to the government’s 30 hours-free childcare scheme.

Bury Times: Summerseat School Nursery Summerseat School Nursery (Image: Summerseat School Nursery)

Headteacher at the school, Julie Whittaker, said: “We all know families are feeling the pinch right now, so we want to do something to take the pressure off in the short term.

“That’s why if families are not entitled to the government’s 30 hours of free childcare scheme for three and four-year-olds, in addition to the 15 hours of universal entitlement, we will provide the additional 15 hours of childcare, free of charge.”

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Summerseat School Nursery has confirmed that anyone who enrols before September  12023, will be offered 30 hours of free childcare for every three and four-year-old.

Bury Times: Summerseat School Nursery Summerseat School Nursery (Image: Summerseat School Nursery)

Julie added that since the pandemic, they found that some children had missed some of the early opportunities to develop their skills of interaction and communication.

She said: “One of the key reasons for providing this is to give children the best possible start in order for them to build these skills in a nurturing environment so they are ready for their reception year.”

In the 2023 budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced new plans to help with the cost of childcare, but to ensure childcare providers have time to prepare for the changes, the measures will be phased in.

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The measures announced in the Spring Budget were that working parents of two-year-olds can access 15 hours of free childcare from April 2024 and in September 2024, 15 hours of free childcare will be extended to all children from nine months old.

From September 2025, the goal is that working parents of children under the age of five will be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare per week.

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Co-Chair of Governors, Cllr Liam J Dean, said: “We know families are looking for relief from their immediate pressures.

“We’re doing what we can to give that relief and invest in their children and grandchildren.”

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