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The Government has more work to do to address “structural problems” in the early years system to ensure families benefit from high-quality affordable childcare under its reforms, MPs have said. Plans to expand the number of subsidised childcare places for working parents in England “should not come at the expense of quality”, the Commons Education Select Committee has warned. From September, the Government will change minimum staff-to-child ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds in England, but it will remain optional. The group of MPs said it is “deeply concerned” about the plans and it is calling on the Government to reverse the changes “if quality is degraded”. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced reforms in the Budget in March which will allow some families of children as young as nine months in England to claim 30 hours of free childcare a week. Simply extending the number of hours that the Government calls free will not work unless the funding rates accurately reflect the costs of providing high quality early education and childcare Committee chairman Robin Walker From April next year, working parents of two-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare. This will be extended to working parents of all children older than nine months from September next year. From September 2025, working parents of children under five will be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare per week. The Education Select Committee said it was a “welcome investment” following concerns raised by parents and early years providers during its inquiry about “affordability and sustainability”. The report added: “However, this investment is much overdue and more will need to be done to address the structural problems in the ECEC (Early Childhood Education Care) system if the funding increases are to be implemented effectively. “In particular, close attention should be paid to effective funding distribution. Settings in disadvantaged areas already struggle more than those in more affluent areas, yet we know that it is children from disadvantaged families that can benefit the most from high-quality ECEC.” The Treasury “missed an opportunity” to reform tax-free childcare and increase the flexibility of the system under its plans to expand free childcare for working parents, the report said. Under the current system, working parents of three and four-year-olds in England are eligible for 30 hours of free childcare per week. The tax-free childcare scheme also allows eligible working families to claim 20% government support with their childcare costs, up to an annual limit of £2,000 per child. The Commons Education Select Committee report said the requirement for parents to reconfirm their eligibility every three months for the 30 hours entitlement and tax-free childcare scheme is “unduly onerous” and should be reduced to once per year. Committee chairman Robin Walker said: “The childcare market is facing significant challenges in affordability and availability, with unprecedented staff turnover and nurseries closing, despite massive demand from parents who want a career and to provide for their families but struggle to find affordable services. It is clear that ministers have more work to do to address this. “Simply extending the number of hours that the Government calls free will not work unless the funding rates accurately reflect the costs of providing high-quality early education and childcare. “We have heard that many settings rely on charging more for the children who attend them outside of the funded hours. It is therefore essential that ministers reduce burdens on the sector and provide adequate funding for all the stages of early education.” He added: “Staff are the lifeblood of this sector and the huge expansion of subsidised childcare will only be successful if we can stem the tide of people leaving the workforce. “There needs to be a revamp of career development, with improvements to pay, progression and conditions so that the profession is given the respect and status it deserves.” Not only have years of severe underfunding plagued the sector but the worst staffing crisis in decades has created a perfect storm which must be addressed if the sector has any chance of survival in the coming years Neil Leitch, Early Years Alliance The cross-party group of MPs is calling on the Department for Education (DfE) to “work closely” with childcare providers and local authorities across the country “to set the funding rate at a sufficient level.” It added that the DfE should stop describing the 30 hours offer as ‘free hours’ and instead refer to it as ‘funded’ or ‘subsidised’ hours to “improve parental trust” in the childcare subsidy system. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance (EYA), said: “Not only have years of severe underfunding plagued the sector but the worst staffing crisis in decades has created a perfect storm which must be addressed if the sector has any chance of survival in the coming years. “If that wasn’t bad enough, it’s likely that the upcoming sector expansion will be dangerously underfunded and will place unrealistic expectations on providers already on the brink.” He added: “For the committee’s findings to truly have a lasting impact, we hope against hope that it finally wakes the Government up to the reality of the situation facing families and providers and prompts urgent and effective action.” Last week, the Government said reforms expanding the amount of free childcare for parents will be “properly and fairly funded”. The DfE said its proposed new funding formula, which is now out for consultation, provides “additional funding for areas of deprivation”. The increased funding will see the expected average rate paid to local authorities for 2024/25 to be set at £8.17 for two-year-olds and £11.06 for under-twos, the DfE said. A Government spokesperson said: “We are rolling out the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever, set to save a working parent using 30 hours of childcare up to an average of £6,500 per year and give children the best quality early years education. “To make sure that we are supporting our fantastic early years workforce, we will be investing hundreds of millions of pounds each year to increase the amounts we pay childcare providers. We also are consulting on how we distribute funding to make sure it is fair.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Wall squat exercises can help lower blood pressure, study suggests Wall sits and planks the best exercises for lowering blood pressure, study suggests Everything you need to know about using a defibrillator

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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton bucked the trend by apologising after an incident in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, insisting the rest of the F1 grid “complains and moans to try and not get a penalty.” Hamilton admitted he was at fault for a collision with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at Monza – he received a five-second time penalty as a result – and apologised to the Australian after the race. Wolff, who stated that Max Verstappen’s 10th win in a row was “completely irrelevant”, concurred with Hamilton’s analysis and made a sharp dig at the rest of the field in the process. “Lewis is very sportsmanlike with these things – and he is the only one that I see out there admitting, saying that he’s wrong,” Wolff told media after the race. “We just had a chat and he said ‘I didn’t see him on the right and that is on me’. And I think that kind of sportsmanship is what you need to admire with him. “Pretty much everyone else is complaining and moaning just to try to not get a penalty. “These things happen. It was hard racing to overtake here and we’ve seen a few of these. It [the penalty] was justified.” Ultimately, the penalty had no impact on Hamilton who finished sixth, while the clash cost Piastri a top-10 finish after he had to pit for a new front nose, dropping him down the order. He finished 12th. Hamilton said: “I misjudged the gap I had with Piastri right at the end. It was totally my fault. “I apologised to him straight afterwards and we move on.” Piastri, though disappointed with the race-impacting clash, seemed satisfied with Hamilton’s apology. “He creeped over a bit more than he thought,” Piastri said. “The stewards gave their verdict and Lewis apologised and nothing more I can ask for or do at that point.” Hamilton’s team-mate, George Russell, finished fifth in an indifferent weekend for Mercedes in Monza after the pair signed new contracts until the end of the 2025 season. Read More FIA reveal results of 2022 F1 cost cap process Toto Wolff blunt in response to Max Verstappen’s ‘irrelevant’ record Alex Albon, James Vowles and the start of a Williams renaissance FIA announce results of 2022 F1 cost cap process F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Singapore Grand Prix? Damon Hill unimpressed by Toto Wolff’s dismissal of Max Verstappen’s record win

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Gisele Bündchen has spoken candidly about ex Tom Brady, with the model confessing that their divorce is not something she ever “dreamed of”. The Brazilian model, 43, reflected on getting divorced in 2022, after 13 years of marriage, during a preview of her upcoming interview with CBS News Sunday Morning, which will air on 24 September. After expressing that she wouldn’t “change anything” about the experiences she’s had in her life, correspondent Lee Cowan chimed in and asked: “Not even your divorce?” In response, she noted that while she never thought that she’d get a divorce, after seeing how long her own parents have been together, she’s still come to terms with her split. “I mean, it’s not what I dreamed of and what I hoped for," she said. “My parents have been married for 50 years, and I really wanted that to happen. But I think you have to accept, you know, sometimes that the way you are in your 20s, it’s sometimes you grow together, sometimes you grow apart.” Bündchen went on to acknowledge that the former NFL star will continue to be a part of her life, since they share two children, son Benjamin, 13, and daughter Vivian, 10. Brady also shares a 16-year-old son, John, with ex Bridget Moynahan “I mean, he’s the father of my kids, you know?” she added. “So, I always wish him the best, and I’m so grateful that he gave me wonderful children.” In October 2022, Bündchen and Brady announced they were divorcing after over a decade of marriage. The move also came weeks after it was previously reported that the athlete and former supermodel had hired divorce lawyers. “We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together,” he wrote on his Instagram Story.“We are blessed with beautiful and wonderful children who will continue to be the centre of our world in every day. We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve.” Bündchen later issued a statement of her own to Instagram, writing: “With much gratitude for our time together, Tom and I have amicably finalised our divorce. My priority has always been and will continue to be our children whom I love with all my heart. We will continue co-parenting to give them the love, care and attention they greatly deserve.” In her statement, she acknowledged that the decision to end a marriage is “never easy,” but that she and Brady have “grown apart”. “And while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always,” she continued. “I kindly ask that our privacy be respected during this sensitive time.” Since the divorce, Bündchen has continued to speak out about her relationship with her ex. Earlier this week, she reflected on the challenges her family has experienced since the divorce. “It’s been very tough on my family. It’s been a lot - in every area of my life,” she said during an interview with People, published on 18 September. After finalising her divorce in October 2022, she relocated her family to Florida for Brady’s three-season stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the model has now settled down in Miami, she was reportedly helping her two ailing parents at the same time. “I feel like whenever it rains, it pours,” Bündchen explained to the outlet. “With all the different twists and turns that life takes, all we can do is the best we can given what happens in our surroundings.” During an interview with Vogue Brasil, published last month, she opened up about maintaining a positive outlook on life after her divorce from the quarterback. “I’ve always believed that every situation, no matter how challenging, teaches us something and helps us grow,” she said. “Breakups are never easy, especially when the media is speculating every step of the way. I tried to focus on my children, my health and my projects and dreams.” In March, Bündchen also explained how she and Brady are navigating co-parenting. “We’re not playing against each other,” she told Vanity Fair. “We are a team, and that’s beautiful. I look back and I have no regrets. I loved every bit of it.” Read More Gisele Bündchen opens up about ‘tough’ times nearly one year after Tom Brady divorce Gisele Bündchen reveals why she hasn’t had alcohol in two years Tom Brady responds to viral photo of him at Blackpink concert Gisele Bündchen opens up about ‘tough’ times nearly one year after Tom Brady divorce Gisele Bündchen reveals why she hasn’t had alcohol in two years Dwyane Wade ‘tried to break up’ with Gabrielle Union after fathering baby with woman