Nursery World - Ministers urged to 'think carefully' when introducing new policies to reduce childcare costs

The Government is being urged to ‘think carefully’ about how to support parents who need help with childcare costs as research highlights how current policies support a minority of families.

The IFS highlights how existing Government childcare policies support a 'minority' of parents, PHOTO Adobe Stock

In response to the Government’s plans to reduce childcare costs to help families with the rising cost of living, new analysis from the IFS examines how much households are paying for formal childcare.

It reveals the disparity in the cost of childcare depending on the age of a child with parents of one and two-year-olds paying the most, how fees vary depending on the area in which families are based, and how take-up rates of policies differ ‘widely’.

The research suggests the range of Government support for early education and childcare in England is ‘often confusing’.

The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said the research proved a ‘complete overhaul of the childcare system is needed’, while the Early Years Alliance argued that it provided further evidence to suggest the funding system is ‘not fit for purpose’.

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