WORKING parents in Poole have benefited from extra hours of free early years childcare.

The council has been providing an extended offer of up to 30 hours per week of free early education places for local three and four-year-old children.

All three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours per week of free childcare. However, since the autumn of 2017, this entitlement was extended to 30 hours per week for eligible working families in Poole. By the end of the first year 1,195 children were receiving the extra hours.

Free early education and childcare places include childminders, nurseries and pre-schools.

Councillor Mike White, cabinet portfolio holder for children, families and capital projects, said: “We are extremely pleased that the extended offer of 30 hours of free early years childcare provision has been successful for Poole families. Many of the families we have spoken to have told us that this scheme has made a positive difference to their lives and has had an economic benefit. "We are continuing to identify areas in Poole where demand for 30 hours childcare is high and work with providers to expand the number of flexible childcare places to support working families.” According to the council, 98 per cent of inspected private, voluntary and independent childcare settings and 99 per cent of inspected childminders have a rating of Good or Outstanding from Ofsted.