Nursery World - New childcare for poor Londoners

Up to 10,000 more childcare places for lower-income families are to be rolled out across London over the next three years, as mayor Ken Livingstone said last week that the lack of affordable childcare is putting 'a serious brake' on the capital's economy. The plan, to be implemented by the London Development Agency in partnership with Sure Start and the London Boroughs, is central to the Mayor's Economic Development Strategy published last week.

The plan, to be implemented by the London Development Agency in partnership with Sure Start and the London Boroughs, is central to the Mayor's Economic Development Strategy published last week.

Launching the strategy, Mr Livingstone said, 'One in four children in London live in a workless household. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of good-quality, affordable childcare. Partly as a result of the higher costs of childcare in the capital, a lower proportion of women with dependant children go to work than in the rest of the country.'

Nearly 20 per cent of mothers living in London say they cannot afford childcare, and a further 10 per cent cite lack of suitable childcare as a problem. These figures are even higher among lone mothers.

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