The first week of September always has an exciting feel to it. Children return to school and life returns to ‘normal’ after the summer holidays.
While MPs still work in their constituencies during recesses, I still have a “back to school” feeling on starting my second year in Parliament. I really enjoyed being able to spend more time in the constituency, but I am excited to be back in Westminster –there is lots to do!
One of the big items on our agenda in Westminster is providing more support for families and children. From this week, parents can now access 30 hours of free childcare for kids aged between 9 months and 2 years old, doubled from 15 hours previously. I know that the previous rules were a real squeeze on family finances and the ability for parents to return to work, so I’m thrilled that Labour have prioritised this change.
There are many other positive changes too. From September 2026, the Government is limiting the number uniform items that schools can insist on parents buying, saving £70 million off the cost of uniform for families across the country. School uniform shouldn’t be an added stress for parents, particularly if they have a few different sets to buy.
I most proud of the policy to increase access to free school meals for half a million more children, putting up to £500 per child back in parents’ pockets; this includes many families in our constituency. There is lots of research to suggest that this is one of the best policies for breaking down barriers to opportunity. If students are hungry, they don’t learn well.
Of course, this is a symptom of a wider problem: for too long, relative child poverty rates have been too high. Under the last Labour Government, over 500,000 children were lifted out of poverty, however these numbers were reduced by half under the previous Conservative Government. Child poverty increased during this time. One of the reasons I got into politics was to reverse this trend once again, just as Labour did when they were last in government.
There’s lots more to do. Later this year, the Government will publish its Child Poverty Strategy and by the end of 2028, the Government aims to set up 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs, building on the proud legacy of Sure Start. These Hubs will provide a variety of services to support parents and ensure that no children are left behind. There will be a Best Start Hub in Wokingham Borough, which previously had no funding whatsoever for these services, as well as in Reading Borough. I am looking forward to working with both councils to make sure that the provision reaches those who need it most.
Yuan Yang is Labour MP for Earley & Woodley
