Poorer families miss out
NCMA Press office (01/02/2010)
Disadvantaged families miss out on quality childcare
Commenting on the recent report by the
Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF); ‘Families
Experiencing Multiple Disadvantage: Their Use of and Views on
Childcare Provision’, Ian Marratt, Interim Director of
Communications at National Childminding Association said:
"This report makes worrying reading, but sadly
the findings are not a surprise. Hard-to-reach families, and
families who most need the support of quality childcare - not just
to get back into work but to take up training and development
opportunities - are not accessing this support.
The lack of take-up lies with the methods of
funding for childcare which centre around parental
employment. Where the free entitlement to childcare for 3- and
4-year-olds is provided, take up is much higher.
NCMA would favour a move to supply-side
funding taking the onus on childcare provision away from individual
families and making the benefit more universal.
"More needs to be done to encourage proactive
work with families with multiple disadvantages, outreach work and
visits to parents' homes to bring information about using formal
childcare and ways they can access financial support direct to the
family’s door."