Written questions

Childcare: Eligibility

Commons · Question 12557 · Tabled 23 Jun 2026 · Department for Education · Official record

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question

Asked by Sarah Dyke

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of mandatory unpaid clinical placements on student nurses' ability to meet the employment hour thresholds required to access Government childcare support schemes.

Answer

Answered by Olivia Bailey, 29 Jun 2026

Practice learning is intended to support student development, not to meet workforce pressures. Students are not employed to provide care, do not hold contracts of employment, and are therefore unpaid. It is essential that students have the time and space ...