Cost of early years places prevents mothers from working, survey suggests
By Rachel Lawler
The cost of early years places is preventing mothers from returning to work, according to a new poll by the .
Using a weighted sample of 2,000 people the magazine found that, 60% said that early years places are “unaffordable” and 70% said that is was a “significant reason” why mothers choose to be stay-at-home parents.
A higher proportion of women agreed with the statement, with 74% saying that this is a “significant reason” for mothers choosing not to return to work compared to 65% of men.
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, commented: “This research is yet further proof that the government’s approach to the early years in this country is not fit for purpose. For years, early years funding has failed to keep up with the soaring cost of delivering places, leaving many providers with no choice but to increase fees to stay afloat.
“This has left many parents not only struggling to meet the cost of early years places, but as this survey has shown, forced to make sacrifices in their careers as well. And of course, such a short-sighted approach to early years policy in this country not only impacts parents’ ability to work but, crucially, risks more and more children missing out on vital early education opportunities and experiences.
"Our research has shown that for an overwhelming majority of providers, the funding they receive for so-called ‘free childcare’ places is far less than the cost of delivering them – and with even those setting that received funding increases this year warning that this won’t be enough to cover rising costs, things are clearly going to get a lot worse before they get better.
“Time and time again, we have called for a funding system that works – and yet instead the government is wasting its time debating changes to ratios that will do absolutely nothing to address the rising cost of care and early education in this country.
“If the government really wants to deliver the services needed to support parents – and particularly mothers – to remain in work, and ensure that all children have access to a high-quality early education, it needs to invest what’s needed in the sector that can deliver both. How bad do things need to get before the government finally decides to act?”