The former health secretary said he would like to see the Government produce a cross-departmental White Paper that outlined its work-life balance strategy for the next ten to 15 years.
In a speech in London last week at a seminar held by the independent think-tank Demos, Mr Milburn - who quit his Cabinet job last year to spend more time with his family - said such a White Paper 'should outline a 15-year strategy for expanding childcare so Britain can match the levels of provision available in the Scandinavian countries'.
This would, he said, enable state, private and voluntary childcare providers to plan better for expansion, and for recruiting and training staff. Mr Milburn said his White Paper would propose free childcare places for families on low incomes and a sliding scale of charges for better-off parents over the current two-and-a-half hours of free care for three- and four-year-olds.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
