Early years organisations welcomed the opposition's interest in childcare, but also raised concerns over some of the proposals which seemed to support unregulated and informal childcare.
Stressing the need to recognise that many women rely on a 'traditional support network' of relatives, Tory leader Michael Howard went so far as to suggest a 'fast track' course for grandparents to become childminders.
But Gill Haynes, chief executive of the National Childminding Association, questioned why a fast track course was needed.
'Many grandparents are already registered childminders and encouraging more to take up the profession will help more families,' she said. 'But grandparents must meet the same minimum national standards as other registered childminders and receive the same training and ongoing support to enable them to deliver quality childcare.'
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