Despite this Government spending 17bn on early years andchildcare since 1997, the attainment levels of six-year-olds from themost disadvantaged backgrounds have not improved, and their writinglevels have in fact worsened.
The Government's obsession with centralised, centre-based childcare hasundermined private, voluntary and independent providers as well aschildminders. It is crucial we have a diverse market that provides fordiffering needs.
Health visitors are vital for delivering the support and advice parentsneed and it is such a shame that the number of health visitors hasdeclined substantially under this Government. We want to reintroduce auniversal health visiting service. Knowing that parents are more likelyto split up in the first year after a child's birth, we also want toreplicate a service in the Netherlands called Kraamzorg which givesparents practical support in the home in the first few weeks after achild's birth.
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