London councils demand more resources for changes in child care provision

London councils have warned the government that its draft Childcare Bill will be unworkable unless proposals are backed with more resources.

The Association of London Government has told the Department for Education and Skills that inadequate funding could force children’s centres to rely too heavily on charging for services.

Such a policy would result in some of London’s most vulnerable families being excluded, a spokesperson for the ALG said.

Responding to the consultation on the draft bill, London council leaders said they were “concerned” that it assumed the new duties required of them would be cost neutral, and called for more resources to be made available.

The councils also reiterated widespread concerns about the proposed deregulation of inspection for non-school settings providing services to children aged six or over.

“The ALG opposes any measures that may negatively impact on the quality of provision and asks that the government reconsider this proposal,” the response states.

The government has already hinted that it might drop the proposal amid widespread concern from the child care sector.