Tell us: how are you affected by the expansion of the 30 hours childcare provision in England? | Childcare

From 1 September 2025, families in England who meet certain work and income criteria will be able to claim 30 hours of free childcare per week – as part of the Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme.Some are celebrating the potential break from burdensome childcare costs for working families. However, critics say that the childcare sector still faces considerable funding and recruitment challenges, which may go unaddressed while the scheme places higher demand on nurseries and charities. Further, those who earn below £9,518 or are excluded from the eligibility criteria might be left behind if other provisions are not as thorough.We would like to hear from anyone who is going to be affected by the rollout – whether you are an eligible or ineligible parent, a childcare sector worker, or an early years sector expert. Are you optimistic about the announcement? What has your existing experience led you to believe about the sector and this particular support plan for families? Tell us.Share your experienceYou can share your thoughts on the childcare scheme using this form.Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature and we will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For true anonymity please use our SecureDrop service instead.How may you be affected by the expanded 30-hour childcare scheme in Emgland for working parents – whether as an eligible or ineligible parent, a childcare sector worker, or an early years expert? Please include as much detail as possible. Are you optimistic about the announcement? What are your views about the scheme and early years childcare? OptionalPlease include as much detail as possible. If you are happy to, please upload a photo of yourself here OptionalPlease note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB.Choose fileCan we publish your response? You can add more information here OptionalIf you include other people’s names please ask them first.Would you be interested in speaking to our audio and/or video teams? By submitting your response, you are agreeing to share your details with us for this feature.SubmitIf you’re having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.