Eloise and Jack Edington were burned out from looking after their five kids and running their own businesses . They couldn’t imagine how they would keep it up long-term.

Eloise, 40, runs her own parenting business, The Ribbon Box, while Jack, also 40, runs an estate agency – but they have only been able to keep their businesses going because of government-funded free childcare.

The Government has further expanded its funded childcare hours roll-out this month to offer 30 hours of free childcare to all children aged nine months to four years, which it says will save parents an extra £7,500.

Since last year, parents with children aged nine months to two years have been able to apply for 15 hours of free childcare a week, rising to 30 free hours for three- and four-year-olds.

But from

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