Robert Largan column: ​I want to help make life easier for families and parents here

For many working parents, the cost of childcare is yet another bill and another pressure on

the family.

That’s why I have pushed so hard for childcare reforms to help parents. Last year, the Government announced a major childcare reform, significantly expanding the support on offer by providing 30 hours a week of free childcare for 38 weeks a year, for eligible working parents of children aged nine months to school age.

These reforms are being rolled out and we’re already seeing lots of families benefit from the changes.

Over 150,000 more children are already benefitting from the extra childcare support. But this is only the start, with thousands more families benefitting in the months ahead as part of the largest expansion of childcare in our country’s history.

Given how important this reform is to so many families, it is extraordinary that Labour are thinking about scrapping the free childcare help.

But expanding childcare is not the only way the Government is improving support for children.

I have spoken with and taken up cases from a lot of parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities, and know just how important it is for them to get the right support.

That’s why I welcome this Government’s action to deliver 60,000 more school places for children with special educational needs.

This will be funded by a record annual £850 million going to councils across the country. This forms part of our £2.6 billion investment between 2022 and 2025, which triples previous levels of investment compared to just three years ago.

This is helping to increase capacity, following a decrease in pupils in special schools from 1997 to 2010.

Derbyshire is set to benefit from £14.5 million of additional funding to ensure children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision (AP) receive an education that meets their needs.

Since coming into office, this Conservative Government has opened 108 new special schools, with a further 92 on the way.

There is still a long way to go but I’m pleased the Government is really focused on helping families.