Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support parents of children under the age of 5 with the costs of childcare who want to undertake (a) further and (b) higher education courses.

The Care to Learn scheme can help with childcare costs for eligible parents aged under 20 who meet Care to Learn residency criteria and are in receipt of publicly funded education or training. Care to Learn payments are not income assessed and a maximum amount that can be claimed is £175 per child per week in London and £160 per child per week elsewhere. Further details are available at: www.gov.uk/care-to-learn.

For learners aged 19 and above, Learner Support is available to help those with a specific financial hardship that prevents them from taking part in learning. Colleges and providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as childcare and travel.

A Childcare Grant is available to full-time student parents in higher education using registered or approved childcare, so that childcare costs incurred while studying do not act as an additional barrier for lower income families accessing higher education. The grant helps with childcare costs for children under 15, or under 17 if they have special educational needs. The amount of Childcare Grant payable in 2018-19 will be based on 85 per cent of actual childcare costs, subject to a maximum grant of £164.70 per week for one child only or £282.36 per week for two or more children.

Students are not entitled to receive a Childcare Grant if the student or their partner has elected to receive the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, the childcare element of Universal Credit, or is claiming support for childcare through the NHS bursary scheme.

Students with children may also be able to receive the Parents' Learning Allowance to meet course related costs, and students with adult dependants may be able to receive an Adult Dependants Grant. The maximum amount of Parents Learning Allowance payable in 2018/19 will be £1,669 and the minimum £50. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/extra-help.

All three and four year olds and the most disadvantaged two year olds are entitled to access 15 hours a week of early education.