In a report, Talking about childcare, published last week, the Trust called for initiatives to reach the 46 per cent of children who live in poverty outside the 20 per cent most disadvantaged areas of England. It said that it wanted to see a shift away from targeting areas of disadvantage exclusively and that this could be realised through the development of children's centres in every community.
Director Stephen Burke said, 'A children's centre in every community offering affordable childcare would go a long way towards raising parents'
expectations and delivering universal childcare services.'
The report said a typical nursery place for a child under two now cost almost 7,000 a year and that six years after the launch of the national childcare strategy, some parents believed that staying on benefits and not working was more cost-effective than looking for a job because of the high cost of childcare.
The report was based on conversations with 400 parents and children from families on low incomes in Cornwall, Greenwich, Middlesbrough in the north-east and Sefton in the north-west of England. Many of those interviewed said they found childcare tax credits 'confusing'.
The report said, 'The general complexity of forms and numerous changes to the tax credit system is a barrier to making effective claims.' Parents in the London borough of Greenwich felt that the high cost of childcare in London meant that tax credits had 'little or no impact on their ability to return to work'.
Mr Burke said, 'Parents are sending a very clear message. They want quality, affordable childcare to help them work or train. It's time all parents were offered a realistic choice.'
The report also found that only 3 per cent of parents had heard of their local Children's Information Service and called for a national marketing campaign to raise awareness of available services. Lone parents in Cornwall felt that there should be more information about childcare options in formats they could use and understand.
Children said they wanted a clear divide between school and home, and wanted after-school clubs to be run differently to school, with a separate identity so they could relax and enjoy themselves.
The report also called for recruitment campaigns to create a diverse childcare workforce, with more men and more black and ethnic minority members.