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Government review of childcare - good news for children, parents and communities (6/11/2002)

The Government today set out how the doubling in spending on childcare will help parents to access childcare that they can afford.

'Delivering for Children and Families' published by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit outlines how new funding will:

• create at least 250,000 new childcare places by 2005/06, on top of the earlier target of new places for 1.6 million children by 2004;
• establish new children's centres to provide childcare, family support and health services in one centre, reflecting the early lessons of Sure Start, to benefit up to 650,000 children in disadvantaged areas by 2006; and
• integrate responsibility for childcare, early years education and Sure Start within a new interdepartmental unit so that new services are co-ordinated to best meet the needs of children, families and communities.

'Delivering for Children and Families' reports on the Inter-departmental Review of Childcare led by Baroness Catherine Ashton, Minister for Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare. The review was set up to develop a vision for 2010 for childcare in England, and to inform the 2002 Spending Review.

The report shows that by enabling parents to work, especially lone parents, childcare can reduce child poverty, improve children's performance and behaviour and, in the long term, reduce crime.

Welcoming the report's publication, Prime Minister Tony Blair said:

'The measures detailed in this report represent good news for children, giving them a better start in early education and health so that they can achieve their potential, no matter where they live.

'It is also good news for parents: a commitment to support the provision of good-quality childcare, giving parents the chance to work.

'I saw the results recently in Hackney, where a woman told me that until Sure Start came along she felt trapped in her council flat, looking after her child. Now the child had a creche to go to; the mother had a network of friends and contacts; and she had got a job.'

'These reforms are also good news for communities: quality services for children and families delivered in response to local need, a reduction in crime, higher productivity, a stronger labour market and the building of civic society.'

Minister for Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare, Catherine Ashton said:

'The childcare review highlighted the successes of the National Childcare Strategy and Sure Start, which we are determined to build upon to ensure all children receive the best start in life.

'Sure Start has helped improve children's services in disadvantaged neighbourhoods - integrating responsibility for childcare, early years and Sure Start will ensure more parents benefit from co-ordinated services.

'We are transforming childcare and early years provision - already we have delivered on our commitment to provide a free nursery place for every four year old. By 2004, there will be a free place in early years education for all three year olds whose parents want one.

'Our vision is for every parent to be able to access affordable, good quality childcare - we will therefore create 250,000 more childcare places by 2006, on top of our earlier target of new places for 1.6 million children by 2004.

'The childcare review showed that integrated services best serve our children and their families and that childcare helps reduce child poverty by helping families, and in particular lone parents, back into work. That's why we are determined to continue the transformation of childcare, early years and Sure Start services.'

Pay Master General, Dawn Primarolo said:

'The 2002 Spending Review, building on the recommendations of the inter-departmental childcare review, significantly increased resources for Sure Start, childcare and early years. As today's report emphasises, investment in childcare is an investment in a wide range of Government objectives - including our objective of halving child poverty by 2010 and eliminating it within a generation.

'These measures will be complemented by extra support for families through the introduction of the Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit from April 2003, and the continuation of support with childcare costs through the Working Tax Credit.'

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and Minister for Women, Patricia Hewitt said:

'I welcome this report which builds on the successes already achieved through the National Childcare Strategy. Accessible, affordable and high quality childcare is essential not only for the development and welfare of children, but also to enable both fathers and mothers to choose how best to balance work and family.'

Details of local information service and factsheets on childcare options are available from ChildcareLink on freephone on 08000 96 02 96 or www.childcarelink.gov.uk

Notes to editors

1. Copies of 'The Inter-departmental Childcare Review: Delivering for Children and Families' are available on the Strategy Unit's website (www.strategy.gov.uk) or by telephoning 020 7276 1881.
2. 'The Inter-departmental Childcare Review: Delivering for Children and Families' was published by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit. The Strategy Unit provides the Prime Minister and Government departments with a capacity to analyse major cross-cutting and strategic policy issues.
3. The Inter-departmental Childcare Review was project managed by the Strategy Unit (formerly the Performance and Innovation Unit), involving officials from DfES, HM Treasury, DWP, DTI and the Women and Equality Unit, the Children and Young People's Unit, Department of Health, and the No 10 Policy Directorate, and reported to an inter-ministerial group chaired by Baroness Ashton (DfES), supported by Baroness Hollis (DWP), Barbara Roche MP (ODPM) and Dawn Primarolo MP (HM Treasury).
4. The 2002 Spending Review unveiled a £1.5 billion combined budget for childcare, early years and Sure Start by 2005-6, and a doubling of spending in real terms on childcare by 2005-6.
5. The National Childcare Strategy was launched in 1998. It aims to create places to help 1.6 million children by 2004. Over 1,007,000 children have already benefited from the additional childcare places created since April 1997.
6. Sure Start is a cornerstone of the government's drive to tackle child poverty and social exclusion. It aims to improve health and well being of families and children before and from birth, so children flourish at home and when they go to school. To date, 280,000 children are benefiting from Sure Start programmes. By April 2004, there will be at least 500 Sure Start programmes helping up to 400,000 children living in disadvantaged areas, including a third of under 4s living in poverty.
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