This article was originally published in the Sunderland Echo. To view the original click here.

At the recent Budget, the Labour government took tough decisions to fix the foundations and deliver change. By taking these decisions, we’ll be able to make crucial investments in our public services.

I am proud of Labour’s commitment to triple government investment in breakfast clubs because I know how much of a difference it will make for families in Sunderland.

New research has shown that over 21,000 children across primary in Sunderland could benefit from free breakfast clubs, with Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill now making its way through Parliament.

Last year, I saw the impact breakfast clubs are already having in our area when I visited both Shiney Row Primary and Thorney Close Primary. Breakfast clubs improve attendance, improve attainment, give the best start to every day for every child.

Evidence shows that providing a healthy school breakfast at the start of the school day can contribute to increased concentration as well as improve wellbeing and behaviour. And crucially, all the children I have spoken to loved them.

At the same time, they are a valuable source of childcare for parents at the beginning of the day and will save parents in Sunderland £450 a year. On top of measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to cap uniform costs, it means some parents in Sunderland will save over £500 per child, per year as a result of the Bill.

Research shows that over half of parents say they have problems finding formal childcare that is flexible enough to fit their needs, while four in ten mothers say they have had to work fewer hours than they would like because of childcare costs.

Together, these breakfast clubs will boost parents’ work choices and children’s life chances.