Since 1 September, working parents in England have been offered 30 hours of childcare a week during term time for children aged nine months to four years old.
There have been concerns about the availability of places and the cost of extra, unfunded hours.
But Robin said she had been able to get two days of funded childcare a week for her one-year-old, while she and her husband work part-time.
“That makes it far more affordable for somebody like me who’s just a nurse,” she said.
“I don’t have megabucks to be able to afford a home for my family and to have childcare.
“I’m really sad about it. I’ve left my home. But ultimately, if it means I can have the family, it’s worth it.”
In Wales, there is currently no childcare funding for children under two.
However the Welsh government is rolling out 12.5 hours of free care a week for all two to three-year-olds under the Flying Start scheme.
It said it had reached 15,901children through the scheme by the end of 2024-25 – roughly 52% of two-year-olds in Wales.
The next phase of expansion in 2025-26, funded by an extra £25m, is expected to “reach more than 4,000 additional children”, it said.
