Breakthrough Britain: the next generation, published on Monday by the Centre for Social Justice Early Years Commission, a think-tank chaired by former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, says that childcare tax credits should be made available to pay close relatives who care for children to help parents who do not want to use formal daycare.
It calls for a larger proportion of total child benefit to be available during the first three years of a child's life, and for a raft of new measures to give families 'genuine choice' over whether mothers or fathers stay at home with young children.
The report claims the main goals of Sure Start have shifted from nurture and care to helping disadvantaged parents become 'work-ready'. It says that health visitors should have an enhanced role in intensive home visiting and that 'family service hubs' should be set up in every community, for better co-ordination of professionals and voluntary sector providers.
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