| Chancellor Gordon Brown |
He said the government wanted to help working families with the cost of child care.
New 'school-parent links' would help prepare children for school, he said.
The announcements In more detail:
- Employers will be able to offer £50 per week for approved child care (as long as it is available to every employee), which will be free of national insurance for the employer and free of tax and national insurance for employees
- Child benefits are to be increased by 13 per cent: new benefit rate of £58 for first child and £100 for two children.
- New 'school-parent links' are to be created in 500 communities, which minister for children Margaret Hodge will fund.
- The number of approved child carers will be increased by widening the definition
- Every child of three and four will be guaranteed a nursery place in April next year, which is six months' ahead of the government's schedule.
- £406 million more of unringfenced money will be given to local authorities to help keep council tax bills down.
Ofsted to inspect child care services
04 September 2001
Youth Justice and the Youth Justice Board
26 August 2008
Substance misuse
15 August 2008
Details of government consultations
21 August 2008
Private Member Bills
25 July 2008
Government Legislation
25 July 2008
