The Government will be paying €3 an hour per child to child care centres catering for children aged up to three years and interested in being part of a public private partnership, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said this morning.

Addressing a news conference, the minister said parents currently paid an average €2.25 for childcare so the Government would be paying the centres a higher rate.

The Government would pay for childcare during the hours the parent spent at work as well as an extra hour a day for commuting.

Both parents have to be employed (full or part-time) to benefit from the scheme.

To benefit, parents should identify a licensed child care centre for their children and register with centre and with the Education Department.

Child care carers have to have level four education, which is equivalent to a diploma in childcare, and those managing the centre have to have level five.

Mr Bartolo said the Government did not plan to build more childcare centres for the time being as there were many available with some on the verge of going bankrupt. Many were only utilising 30 per cent of potential.

The Government predicted that the demand would increase by 30 per cent next year in line with the results of a survey it carried out in parents said they were willing to work more if they had safe and free childcare.

A White Paper on childcare is to be issued later today. It would be online on the Education Ministry’s website later today and the Government is inviting suggestions to childcare@gov.mt up to the end of the month.