Save the Children's response to Treasury Committee Report on Childcare

 

March 25, 2018

 

Steven McIntosh, Save the Children's Director of UK Poverty Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns, said:

“Today’s report shines a light on a costly and confusing childcare system which is struggling to recruit skilled nursery staff - letting down parents and young children.
 
“The Committee has pinpointed why parents say that childcare is still the number one barrier to work. MPs have called on the government to address both the ‘overwhelming’ complexity of childcare and fundamental flaws in how the government plans to support low income families with childcare bills. Unless the government takes urgent action there is a risk that, under Universal Credit, low-income parents will face upfront costs that they can’t afford to pay. This could even stop them from going back to work. 
 
“The Committee’s finding that childcare providers are cutting back on higher-qualified staff due to funding is also hugely worrying. Poorer children are almost twice as likely to have fallen behind when they start school, but the government is failing to recruit enough skilled early years teachers who play a decisive role in closing this pre-school learning gap.
 
“The government has made some important reforms to childcare, but they must now urgently set out the next steps to deliver the good quality, affordable support parents need to work and make childcare an engine of social mobility for the poorest children.” 

 

ENDS

 

Save the Children’s UK poverty and childcare experts, along with mothers struggling to make the childcare system work, are available for interview. Please contact media@savethechildren.org.uk / 07831 650409.

 

Notes to Editor:

• Please see the following link for the summary and full report on childcare from the Treasury Committee: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/treasury-committee/news-parliament-2017/childcare-report-published-17-19/