Clause 3 - Specific duties of local authority in relation to early childhood services
Childcare Bill
9:00 am
Justine Greening (Putney, Conservative)
Perhaps the Minister can provide some clarification on this brief point when she responds to my hon. Friend.
Subsection (2) refers to the duty of local authorities to identify parents or prospective parents. I take it that that means biological prospective parents rather than people who are thinking of having children. I also note that clause 11(3) says:
“Subsequent childcare assessments must be prepared at intervals not exceeding three years.”
As parents are prospective parents for no more than nine months, I wonder whether there is a slight contradiction there that should be tidied up or clarified by the Minister. To fulfil their obligations, local authorities are likely to have to do inspections and assessments more frequently than every three years.