{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/770536.json"},"data":{"type":"petition","id":770536,"attributes":{"action":"Fund childcare for working parents immediately after maternity leave ends","background":"We want the Government to change the Funded Childcare for Working Parents scheme in England so eligible parents can access their childcare hours immediately after maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave ends, rather than waiting until the next school term.","additional_details":"Eligible working parents can receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week for children aged from 9 months old, but support only starts from the next school term. \r\n \r\nThis means parents returning to work after a cut-off pay full nursery fees for months despite already being eligible. A parent returning in May will not receive funded childcare until September.\r\n \r\nParents do not plan maternity leave around school terms. HMRC should be able to process support from the date parental leave ends","committee_note":"","state":"open","signature_count":42,"closing_date":"2026-12-22","created_at":"2026-05-22T08:46:24.738Z","updated_at":"2026-06-23T21:51:40.000Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2026-06-22T07:40:19.299Z","closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2026-05-22T09:57:50.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_on":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"creator_name":"Harry Barnes","rejection":null,"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[{"acronym":"DfE","name":"Department for Education","url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education"}],"topics":[],"signatures_by_country":[{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB","signature_count":42}],"signatures_by_constituency":[{"name":"Birkenhead","ons_code":"E14001091","mp":"Alison McGovern MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Birmingham Selly Oak","ons_code":"E14001099","mp":"Al Carns MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Blyth and Ashington","ons_code":"E14001107","mp":"Ian Lavery MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Bradford South","ons_code":"E14001119","mp":"Judith Cummins MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Cannock Chase","ons_code":"E14001150","mp":"Josh Newbury MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Carshalton and Wallington","ons_code":"E14001153","mp":"Bobby Dean MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Central Suffolk and North Ipswich","ons_code":"E14001156","mp":"Patrick Spencer MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Chelmsford","ons_code":"E14001159","mp":"Marie Goldman MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"City of Durham","ons_code":"E14001173","mp":"Mary Kelly Foy MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Clacton","ons_code":"E14001174","mp":"Nigel Farage MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Colchester","ons_code":"E14001176","mp":"Pam Cox MP","signature_count":2},{"name":"Derby South","ons_code":"E14001194","mp":"Baggy Shanker MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Wiltshire","ons_code":"E14001217","mp":"Danny Kruger MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Gillingham and Rainham","ons_code":"E14001246","mp":"Naushabah Khan MP","signature_count":2},{"name":"Hackney North and Stoke Newington","ons_code":"E14001259","mp":"Rt Hon Diane Abbott MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Halesowen","ons_code":"E14001261","mp":"Alex Ballinger MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Harwich and North Essex","ons_code":"E14001273","mp":"Sir Bernard Jenkin MP","signature_count":11},{"name":"Hove and Portslade","ons_code":"E14001296","mp":"Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Huntingdon","ons_code":"E14001298","mp":"Ben Obese-Jecty MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Islington North","ons_code":"E14001305","mp":"Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Leigh and Atherton","ons_code":"E14001329","mp":"Jo Platt MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Luton South and South Bedfordshire","ons_code":"E14001346","mp":"Rachel Hopkins MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Rochester and Strood","ons_code":"E14001447","mp":"Lauren Edwards MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Scunthorpe","ons_code":"E14001462","mp":"Sir Nicholas Dakin MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"South Cambridgeshire","ons_code":"E14001481","mp":"Pippa Heylings MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"South West Devon","ons_code":"E14001495","mp":"Rebecca Smith MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Walthamstow","ons_code":"E14001563","mp":"Ms Stella Creasy MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Warwick and Leamington","ons_code":"E14001566","mp":"Matt Western MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Wellingborough and Rushden","ons_code":"E14001571","mp":"Gen Kitchen MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Bridgend","ons_code":"W07000086","mp":"Chris Elmore MP","signature_count":1}],"signatures_by_region":[{"name":"North East","ons_code":"A","signature_count":2},{"name":"North West","ons_code":"B","signature_count":2},{"name":"Yorkshire and The Humber","ons_code":"D","signature_count":2},{"name":"East Midlands","ons_code":"E","signature_count":2},{"name":"West Midlands","ons_code":"F","signature_count":4},{"name":"East of England","ons_code":"G","signature_count":19},{"name":"London","ons_code":"H","signature_count":4},{"name":"South East","ons_code":"J","signature_count":4},{"name":"South West","ons_code":"K","signature_count":2},{"name":"Wales","ons_code":"L","signature_count":1}],"other_parliamentary_business":[]}}}