Mental Health
Survey highlights flexibility penalty for mums
Despite the post-Covid move to more flexible working, many mums are struggling to get the...read more
Nearly a third of people live in ‘childcare desert’
A new study finds that almost a third of people in England live in areas with poor access to childcare.
Almost a third of people in England live in a ‘childcare desert’, meaning they have reduced access to childcare, according to a new report, which says the more disadvantaged neighbourhoods are most affected by market-based systems where providers set fees and families are required to navigate often complex price and subsidy mechanisms to access childcare.
The report, International childcare: Mapping the deserts by Australia’s Victoria University, says that, of the nine regions across England, the North West, London and the South East rank best for accessibility, with the smallest number of people living in a childcare desert. Meanwhile, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and The Humber and the North East have the greatest number of people living in a childcare desert, which means they have poor access to childcare.
The report says the lack of available places in disadvantaged areas means not all families can ‘choose’ to access childcare, despite the notion of ‘choice’ being central to many childcare policies. The fewer available childcare places in lower socioeconomic areas often means that families are forced into making more difficult decisions such as staying home instead of returning to work or travelling long distances to obtain care.
Meanwhile, Scotland, which has more elements of universal provision compared to the other parts of the UK, had some of the highest levels of accessibility. However, there were still differences within the country.
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: “We know that access to quality early years provision has a proven positive impact on a child’s life chances – and yet, almost a third of the English population live in a so-called ‘childcare desert’, with England ranking as one of the worst countries in Europe in terms of accessibility. Worse still, it’s those children from more disadvantaged backgrounds, who we know benefit the most from access to early education, who are most likely to struggle to find a place.
“At a time when more children than ever are eligible for early entitlement hours, it has never been more important to ensure that there are enough early years places to meet demand. But as today’s findings show, this couldn’t be further from reality – a direct consequence of the sustained lack of support given to the sector over recent years.”
He added: “The only way that every child – regardless of where they live – will be able to easily access high-quality early education is if the sector is properly supported to increase capacity. This means long-term funding that reflects the true cost of delivering places, and a staffing strategy that addresses both recruitment and retention. Anything less, and those set to gain the most from early education will continue to lose out.”
Related
Employment Rights
Why banning unpaid internships is good for mums
For mums re-entering the job market after a career break, unpaid internships can pose a...read more
