When the Government announced its plans to expand ‘free’ childcare for working parents back in the spring, there was plenty of heated commentary around the fact that the plans did not address disadvantage or give any recognition to the need for quality provision.
This morning (25 May), that argument has ratcheted up a notch, with widespread media coverage of a new report from Coram and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). The charities are calling for a radical rethink of the Government’s plans, making a powerful case for shifting to a universal funded offer and investing more in quality, which is the deciding factor when it comes to making a difference to children’s life chances.
It says a lot that the Government has made no attempt to talk up its childcare reforms as more than a move to support working families and get more people (i.e. women) back to work.
And it is better-off families who will benefit. With 2024’s expanded offer set to directly benefit just over half of parents with a child aged nine months to two years old, this includes just a fifth of families earning less than £20,000 a year. The greater benefit will go to around 80 per cent of those with household incomes at £45,000 – and considerably higher (according to data from the IFS).
While policy-makers might argue that the existing offer for disadvantaged twos and support from Universal Credit address the achievement gap, these do not go far enough. Let’s not forget that the entitlement funding does not cover providers’ costs, and many families are faced with extra charges for things like meals and registration.
It seems entirely right that Coram and JRF should now be unpicking the lack of balance in the Government’s thinking. The value of increased provision resides in its quality and availability to all.