"Councils are committed to ensuring that parents have access to high quality, flexible childcare so that all children get the best start in life, and have been working closely with local providers to try to make sure enough spaces are available for those who need them."
Responding to the Family and Childcare Trust’s annual childcare survey, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:
“Councils are committed to ensuring that parents have access to high quality, flexible childcare so that all children get the best start in life, and have been working closely with local providers to try to make sure enough spaces are available for those who need them.
“Increased investment to allow more families access to free early education and tax-free childcare is extremely positive, both for children and for parents who can return to work or increase their working hours. We agree that childcare support should be improved for parents in training, which would help them to improve their skills and employability, making a positive impact on their own lives and the local economy.
“Councils remain concerned that the funding levels available for the free entitlements are not sufficient, which could potentially lead to fewer providers offering places, reduced quality, or increased costs for children using hours outside of the entitlements.
“We support the Family and Childcare Trust’s suggestion that spend on childcare could be reformed to create a simpler, more efficient system. As it stands, different schemes have different aims, and it can be difficult for parents to know the best option for their family.
“As part of this reform, it would be helpful to identify the overall aims of childcare support for families. The Government has been clear on its ambitions to support social mobility for all, and we know that a good early years education can significantly contribute to this. Reviewing early years support in its entirety would help to identify whether investment was helping to reduce inequalities, improve social mobility and get better results for children and their families.”