News

The needs of black and minority ethnic communities are overlooked by childcare providers, according to research published by the Daycare Trust.

More white families accessed childcare in 2002 than their black or minority ethnic counterparts, says the report. Childcare was used by 87 per cent of white parents compared to 81 per cent of black parents, 70 per cent of Asian parents and 71 per cent of parents from other minority ethnic groups.

Stephen Burke, director of the Daycare Trust, said childcare can help promote equality and tackle disadvantage, but still too many children from black and minority ethnic communities are missing out.

 
The report calls for national and local governments to monitor the impact of the National Childcare Strategy on black and minority ethnic groups. In addition, it wants all early years settings to embrace and implement the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, which puts a duty on public bodies to promote equal opportunities.

The recommendations follow a year-long project, Parents’ Eye,  on gaps in childcare for black and minority ethnic communities.

The team found that 53 per cent of black parents said too little information was available about childcare services compared with 45 per cent of white parents and 37 per cent of Asian parents.

On workforce issues the report says existing efforts to recruit more staff from black and minority ethnic groups should be evaluated and developed  to build representative workforces at all levels.

Copies of the Parents’ Eye project report are available on request from the Daycare Trust 020 7840 3350.