Childcare cash call for every family

A new report from Citizens Advice reveals that parents on low incomes or with unstable working hours are forced to rely on poorer quality childcare providers.

The IPPR argues that the rise in self-employment and jobs with irregular hours means working parents will increasingly depend on flexible childcare. But the Citizens Advice research shows those childcare providers most likely to offer variable hours have poorer Ofsted ratings and so will be of lower quality.

IPPR research director Graeme Cooke said: “Many parents, especially mothers, find it difficult to take up work because the cost of childcare is so high and the quality of provision is so patchy.

“Reforming our childcare system would help many more families with the cost, improve the quality and allow families to decide how they want to balance work and care.”