Subsidised child care would be popular

Most people think child care should be available for all
toddlers and their families, according to a Mori survey
commissioned by child care charity the Daycare Trust.

Four out of five of those questioned said quality child care
should be on offer from the age of one.

The survey also revealed significant support for government
subsidy. More than half of respondents (56 per cent) said the
government should shoulder a larger proportion of the costs. A
quarter said employers should fund more help.

More than half of the public (53 per cent) would be prepared to
pay an extra penny on income tax to fund affordable child care for
all children. This rises to 63 per cent of parents with children
under 16. Adults in the North are particularly supportive of the
idea, with 63 per cent prepared to pay an extra penny, compared
with 52 per cent in the Midlands and 45 per cent in the South.

Only a quarter of parents say that affordability of childcare
has improved over the past three years. Just under three-quarters
of parents have heard of the child care element of the working tax
credit nationally, but in London only 56 per cent of parents are
aware of the help available to them with childcare costs.

Stephen Burke, director of Daycare Trust, said the public
clearly supported quality affordable child care for all children.
“The next step is to develop a long-term strategy and timetable for
the funding and delivery of children’s centres in every
community by 2015.”