Teen parents to get more childcare help

A childcare scheme to enable teenage parents in England to take
up education or training is to be extended nationally.

Under Care to Learn parents aged 16 to 19 in four pilot areas
can get up to £5000 per year to fund childcare to enable them
to start or stay on courses at school or sixth form college. From
this summer for a year it will also be available to new students
attending FE college. The money will cover registered childcare,
extra necessary travel costs, childcare during private study time
and retainer childcare fees.

The scheme is being piloted in four areas – Lambeth,
Brighton and Hove, north east Lincolnshire and Rotherham and from
August 2004 the scheme will be extended to the whole of England. www.dfes.gov.uk/caretolearn