Letters

It is encouraging to see a Conservative politician taking the view (news14-27 May) that women's talents should not be squandered becausechildcare is unaffordable, especially now while Coalition tax andbenefit policies threaten families and children's ability to accessquality childcare even further. So it is a pity that the proposals byElizabeth Truss to uncouple childminding regulation from the Ofstedinspection system have not only alienated the profession, but alsoappear to be based on a false premise.

The post-2005 rise in Dutch childminder numbers coincided with, but didnot follow from, the corresponding rise in childminding supportagencies. This rise was assured once parents qualified for tax creditsupport for using informal carers such as grandparents, as long as theyregistered with agencies to 'formalise' their role. In response, theDutch government tightened regulations and limited the amount of taxcredit support parents using childminders can claim, compared withcentre-based care. In 2009/10 there was a 25 per cent drop in the numberof such parents qualifying at all. Dutch childminding has effectivelybecome a second-class service.