Nursery World - Ministerial moves

Parents may not have heard of the National Childcare Strategy, but their lives are being affected by it. Mary Evans examines how much progress has been made else is in store Further reforms and increased investment are needed if the National Childcare Strategy is to reach its aims of providing accessible, affordable, good-quality childcare to all parents who want it, according to early years organisations. Launched in May 1998 by the year-old Labour Government, the strategy - which covers England only, as powers regulating childcare have passed to the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies under devolution - has many of its targets fixed to deadlines in 2004. At the halfway mark in its first phase of implementation, the verdict from childcare campaigners is: so far so good, but more needs to be done.

Further reforms and increased investment are needed if the National Childcare Strategy is to reach its aims of providing accessible, affordable, good-quality childcare to all parents who want it, according to early years organisations. Launched in May 1998 by the year-old Labour Government, the strategy - which covers England only, as powers regulating childcare have passed to the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies under devolution - has many of its targets fixed to deadlines in 2004. At the halfway mark in its first phase of implementation, the verdict from childcare campaigners is: so far so good, but more needs to be done.

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