People working in the childcare sector across South Yorkshire tell us the future is 'daunting'
We've been speaking to staff at 'The Nest Nursery' in Sheffield after yesterday's Spring Budget
Those working in Childcare across South Yorkshire tell us they're 'panicking' over new plans to expand provisions-as they could end up 'bursting at the seams'.
On Wednesday, the Chancellor announced plans nationally for 30 free hours from the age of nine-months-old, if all adults in the home are working.
Those changes are due to be brought in by September 2025.
However - Megan Bradley who owns 'The Nest Nursery' in Sheffield - says they've still got a lot of issues in the short term which need addressing:
"We've had to put our fees up from April in line with national minimum wage.
"This is so that we can pay the staff more than minimum wage, but our overheads have also increased.
"Our rent and our energy bills are just sky high.
"Nurseries are struggling currently to get children in and only just have the right number of staff, but these changes will mean more parents go back to work and need childcare.
"Parents need to understand that childcare, which is advertised as free, isn't free.
"Our fees may be £60 a day for a 9-month-old child, but due to the government funding, it could be subsidised to £30 a day.
"We want to be able to welcome more children into our setting and know that we won't end up running at a loss."
Labour criticised some of the plans unveiled on Wednesday-saying the UK economy needed major surgery-but all it got was a sticking plaster in the Budget.