Local MP Maria Miller recently spent time visiting Children’s Centres and a nursery for disabled children, to hear the views of parents, staff and managers, to help prepare for her role on the Parliamentary Committee which will begin scrutinising the Childcare Payments Bill next week.

Maria visited Honeycomb Children’s Centre in Chiltern Way, and Pebbles Children’s Centre in Shakespeare Road, Popley, where she had the opportunity to ask parents about the challenges of getting the childcare they need, and the practical support that is available to them from the Children’s Centres. She also spoke to managers from the charity Action For Children, who are responsible for the management of all the Children’s Centres in Basingstoke, and confirmed that their focus is still very much on providing help to those who need it most.

At KIDS Nursery, also in Shakespeare Road, Maria met a number of parents of disabled children, who attend the nursery, and heard from them about the particular challenges they face in caring for a disabled child.

Maria said: “It was good to be able to meet up with parents and hear their concerns about the availability and cost of childcare. The rising cost of childcare is one of the biggest challenges that many parents face and is why the Government is introducing tax free childcare in the Childcare Payments Bill which I will be looking closely at over the coming weeks.