Delegates at the Trust's conference, called 'Re-inventing Childcare', heard proposals for schools in every neighbourhood across Britain to create children's centres offering a range of services including on-site care for babies and under-fives.
The charity has urged schools to use new powers for school governors outlined in the Government's Education White Paper published in September to allow them to run community services and 'extended schools'.
In its response to the White Paper the Trust said, 'Located at the heart of local communities, these centres would act as a base and beacon for a range of services to meet the needs of local children and families, closely linked with other agencies. Children's centres would have a range of integrated childcare, early education and family support services, building on early education services already delivered, nursery provision for nought to four-year-olds, out-of-school services and holiday playschemes for older children, and drop-in services.'
Trust director Stephen Burke said schools were 'the focal point of communities' but also an under-used resource because they were only open for limited hours. He said many schools also had 'spare premises, facilities or land which could be better used'.
Mr Burke added, 'Where we go in this Parliament will determine what kind of childcare services we have for decades to come. Childcare is crucial to tackling child poverty, helping all families achieve their full potential and rebuilding communities. Schools can help make sure Britain moves towards the best childhood services in Europe.'
But the National Day Nurseries Association immediately criticised the plan, calling it fundamentally flawed. Chief executive Rosemary Murphy expressed concern over the quality of care babies and young children would receive in school settings. She said, 'The Daycare Trust's proposals take no account of the enormous growth in provision of early years care outside schools and ignore the potential benefits of public/private sector partnership in extending provision.
'There is a wealth of expertise in the early years sector and a wide range of options for parents including nannies, childminders, playgroups and nurseries. The Government has given significant funding to these sectors over the past four years, and changing tack now would be a disaster for quality of care and parental choice.
'We believe the concept of extended schools takes childcare choices out of the hands of parents and into the control of schools, which are not the best places for young children and babies to receive the care they need.'