Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
Welsh Government should consider doubling FSM threshold
Welsh Assembly Members have said that the earnings threshold for families entitled to free school meals should double in 2020 if the Welsh Government can afford it.
The children of parents who receive universal credit and earn less than £7,400 currently qualify for free school meals, but assembly members say that ministers should consider increasing the limit to £14,000 next September.
Scotland and England have a similar earnings threshold to Wales when it comes to free school meals, but the Trussell Trust food bank charity said Wales should match Northern Ireland where the threshold is £14,000. Almost half of people in Wales receive some sort of benefit, under a system that is largely controlled from Westminster.
John Griffiths AM, committee chairman, said: "We repeatedly hear that benefits are not enough to cover basic and essential household costs, and the system does not treat people with dignity, fairness or compassion. The human cost of these failures is unacceptable, in one of the world's largest national economies.
"Whilst recommending that Welsh Government explore opportunities to devolve more control of benefits to Wales, our recommendations emphasise what can be done now, within the current settlement, and in the longer term."
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