Alliance comments on TUC childcare cost findings
Commenting on new childcare cost analysis from the TUC, which found that the cost of childcare for one-year-olds has risen four times faster than wages since 2008, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said:
"We know that rising childcare costs remain a significant challenge for families across the country, and this is particularly true of those parents with younger children, who do not qualify for government funding and attract higher fees as a result of stricter staff:child ratios
"Unfortunately, this financial pressure is only likely to get worse with the roll out of the 30 hour offer for three and four-year-olds, as struggling providers are forced to try and recoup the losses they make as a result of government underfunding elsewhere, which often means increasing the cost of care for under-twos.
"The TUC is completely right to call on the government to increased childcare funding, and of course, the private and voluntary sector is absolutely vital to this. Ultimately, unless the government invests what is needed into the early years sector, it is those working families it has promised to support who will end up paying the price."
ABOUT THE ALLIANCE
-
The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest and most representative early years membership organisation in England. A registered educational charity, it also provides high-quality affordable childcare and education to support children and families in areas of deprivation throughout the country.
-
The Alliance represents 14,000 member settings and supports them to deliver care and learning to more than 800,000 families every year. We deliver family learning projects, offer information and advice, produce specialist publications, run acclaimed training and accreditation schemes and campaign to influence early years policy and practice.