Call for universal preschool childcare

Unions have welcomed a new IPPR think tank report setting out how a “universal childcare guarantee” for children up to the age of 11 would boost the economy by an extra £13 billion a year.

As well as raising educational attainment, narrowing the gap for disadvantaged children, and helping achieve equal pay for women, it would create a “double dividend” for the UK economy through the resulting increase in parents returning to work or extending their hours.

The new report, Delivering a childcare guarantee, sets out the detailed changes needed to deliver universally affordable and accessible childcare.

These range from expanding free childcare hours for the under-twos to wraparound care from 8am to 6pm for school age children, including outside term time. The changes should be introduced in stages, the report says.

Families would save between £620 and £6,175 a year on the “eye-watering” current cost of childcare (see this issue, pages 13-15).