MORE parents will benefit from free childcare in Netherton after a successful funding bid is set to create a number of subsidised placements.

Dudley Council bosses successfully applied for Early Years capital funding in January and will receive just over £400,000 to develop additional provision at Netherbrook Primary School.

The centre will now be able to offer 26 new funded placements for three and four year olds, while a further 28 new places are being made available for two year olds whose parents qualify for the targeted Time for Twos free entitlement.

Tony Oakman, the council’s strategic director for people, said: “During our survey, working parents told us that additional funding for childcare for three and four year-olds would help them to stay in work and would, in some cases, enable them to increase their working hours.

“We are delighted to be able to offer this additional provision at Netherbrook Primary School and will continue to look at ways of supporting Dudley borough parents who want to work.”

From September 2017, parents who earn the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the national or living wage can apply to HMRC to claim an additional 15 hours of funded childcare, totalling 30 hours per week during term time.

Philip Rawlings, headteacher at Netherbrook Primary School, said: “As a hub in our local community, we want to do all we can to help parents who are juggling with meeting the demands of childcare whilst trying to work and/or study.

“Here at Netherbrook we pride ourselves on offering a great early years provision and I am sure we will have a lot of interest in the new places that are being made available.”

For more information on free childcare in Dudley, including details of the eligibility criteria for two, three and four year olds, visit www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/early-years/for-parents-and-carers/early-education-funding/extra-support-for-working-parents/