Chancellor leads consultation on ten-year strategy for childcare

In visits to the Gabalfa Primary School in Cardiff and the Pinehurst & Penhill Sure Start Centre in Swindon, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown today met parents, children and childcare providers as part of the Government’s consultation on its 10-year strategy for childcare.

Visiting the Gabalfa Primary School with Wales First Minister Rhodri Morgan, the Chancellor also discussed the launch of the Child Trust Fund with parents. This month will see the first Child Trust Fund vouchers sent to parents and a consultation on extra payments at age seven into every child’s account.

Speaking at the Pinehurst & Penhill Sure Start Centre Gordon Brown said:

“Nowhere is the scale of our ambition for a Britain of aspiration and achievement - and for a Government on people’s side - more evident than in the demand for real choices for parents in childcare and children’s services and in moving from the old era of centralisation to parents locally making the decisions.

“Fifty years ago Government help for the youngest consisted of little more than maternity services, child vaccination and then school attendance at five, failing to acknowledge what we all now know: that a young child's life chances are shaped more by the care, support and early education they receive in the years before five than at any other time.

“Nobody better understands the problems faced by working parents than parents themselves. So we are the first government to launch a nationwide consultation to engage parents in planning the next stage of childcare and children's services - providing parents not just with choice in provision but a voice in the design of that provision.

“The new frontier for children’s services is about insisting that no child is left out and there is no cap on their potential or limit to their ambitions. I want the Child Trust Fund to ensure that at 18 every child will have some wealth from which to plan their adult future, demonstrating our determination that in tomorrow’s Britain every young person, free from poverty, has the best chance to make the most of their talents.”

Notes for editors

1. ‘Choice for parents, the best start for children: a ten year strategy for childcare’ was launched by the Government in the Pre Budget Report on 2 December. The consultation document sets out the Government's long-term vision to ensure that every child gets the best start in life and to give parents more choice about how to balance work and family life.

2. The consultation process includes a number of events across the country to gather views from parents from different regional and ethnic backgrounds, income levels, working patterns, and who have children across the range of ages, including those with disabilities.

3. Specific issues for consultation with parents include the role of extended schools and children's centres, the level of provision for 11 to 14-year olds, the type of information parents want, and how it can be better provided to them, and views on the flexibility of free provision for 3 to 4-year olds.

4. Specific issues for consultation with childcare providers include the regulatory and inspection regime, and proposals for a new quality framework for childcare employees.

5. The consultation period runs until 24 February, and will inform the future development and implementation of the 10-year childcare strategy.

6. An acrobat version of ‘Choice for parents, the best start for children: a ten year strategy for childcare’ can be accessed on the Treasury website.

7. The Child Trust Fund, announced in Budget 2003 is a new savings and investment account for children. All children born since September 2002 will receive an endowment at birth of at least £250, with those from low-income families receiving £500. Vouchers begin to be sent to parents on 17 January 2005, coinciding with the launch of a major advertising campaign. The Child Trust Fund accounts become fully operational on 6 April 2005.

8. In the Pre-Budget report ‘Child Trust Fund consultation on age 7 top-up payments’ (Press Notice 5) the Government announced a consultation on a further universal payment of £250 age seven, with children from low-income families receiving £500.

9. Media enquiries should be addressed to Paul Kissack at the Treasury press office on 020 7270 5245.

10. Non-media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury Correspondence and Enquiry Unit on 020 7270 4558 or by e-mail to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk.

11. This press release and other Treasury publications and information are available on the Treasury website at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk. If you would like Treasury press releases to be sent to you automatically by e-mail you can subscribe to this service from the press release site on the website.