Closed petition Commission an independent review of childcare funding and affordability
We have the second most expensive childcare system in the world. A full time place costs, on average, £14,000 per year, making it completely unaffordable for many families. Parents are forced to leave their jobs or work fewer hours, which has a negative impact on the economy and on child poverty.
More details
Childcare workers are paid so badly that 1 in 10 are officially living in poverty. Meanwhile, a lack of funding has resulted in 2,087 childcare settings closing in England in the first 3 months of 2021 when provision was already low. Without good quality, affordable childcare the 'levelling up' agenda will fail. An independent review would explore what the Government needs to do to ensure we have a childcare sector that works for families, children and the economy.
This petition is closed All petitions run for 6 months
Parliament debated this topic
This topic was debated on 13 September 2021
Government responded
This response was given on 23 June 2021
The Government is not currently planning a review of the childcare system. Support is available to help with childcare costs, and the Government monitors the sustainability of childcare providers.
Read the response in full
We know that the cost of childcare is a key concern for parents which is why the government has made an unprecedented investment in childcare over the past decade.
All three- and four-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare each week, providing children with high-quality early education and helping parents to return to work. Disadvantaged families in England are also eligible for 15 hours of free early education a week for their two- year-old children.
30 hours free childcare was introduced in England in September 2017 and is an entitlement for working parents of three- and four-year-olds, benefitting around 345,700 children in January 2020. It aims to help working parents with the costs of childcare so they can take up paid work if they want to or can work additional hours. To be eligible, both parents, or a single parent, must earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at national minimum/ living wage (for parents aged 23 or over, this would work out at just over £7,400 per year) and less than £100,000 per year.
All the department’s entitlements provide free early education for parents across 38 weeks of the year. They can also be “stretched” if parents wish to use fewer hours over more weeks and this is an option their childcare provider offers.
We have spent over £3.5bn in each of the past three years on our early education entitlements and the government continues to support families with their childcare costs. The Chancellor announced on 25 November 2020 a £44 million investment for 2021-22, for local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers for the government’s free childcare entitlement offers.
In addition to the free early education entitlements, the government offers Tax-Free Childcare for children from 0-11 years old, or up to 16 if disabled. This scheme means that for every £8 parents pay their provider via an online account, the government will pay £2 – up to a maximum contribution of £2,000 per child each year, or £4,000 if disabled.
Working parents on a low income may also be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through Universal Credit Childcare. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1108 for two or more children, payable in arrears.
Data published by Ofsted shows that the number of childcare places available in providers on the Early Years Register as of August 2020 has remained broadly stable since August 2015.
The Department currently offers a range of support to early years settings during the pandemic, such as the furlough scheme (where settings have experienced a drop in either their income from parents or government), Business Rates Relief Nurseries Discount and support from the Recovery Loan Scheme.
As childminders are usually self-employed, they may benefit from the continuation of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.
Further information regarding business support packages can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support
We are committed to supporting the sector to develop a workforce with the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to deliver high quality early education and childcare. We are investing £20m in high quality, evidence-based professional development for practitioners in targeted disadvantaged areas.
In February 2021, we announced a further £10m for a pre-reception early language recovery programme to support early years staff in settings, and in June, we announced a further investment of up to £153 million over three academic years, including funding for training early years staff to support the very youngest children’s learning and development.
We are not currently planning a review of early years funding, but we continue to evaluate the support on offer and endeavour to provide support to both parents and providers to ensure the sustainability of the sector.
Department for Education
Related activity
Share your experiences of maternity, parental leave and childcare during covid-19
MPs on the Petitions Committee want to know what's changed for new parents one year on from their report into the Impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave, published in July 2020.
The Committee is also considering how the pandemic has affected the cost and provision of childcare, in response to the petition you signed.
Share your experiences through this short survey: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/8PXAU4/
The deadline for responses is 12noon on Monday 28 June. Your responses will be shared with the Committee to help inform their work on this issue. Your responses will be anonymous.
Read a summary of the Committee's report: https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/how-has-maternity-and-parental-leave-been-impacted-by-coronavirus-/index.html
What is the Petitions Committee?
The Petitions Committee is a cross-party group of MPs appointed by the House of Commons to consider e-petitions and public (paper) petitions.
Find out more about the Petitions Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/membership/
Follow the Committee on Twitter for real-time updates on its work: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
Petitions Committee announce follow-up session on the impact of covid-19 on new parents
The Petitions Committee will hear from petition creators and expert witnesses on the impact of covid-19 on new parents and childcare providers on Wednesday 14 July.
Watch the session (on Wednesday 14 July from 9.30am): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lERhUe98ASU&feature=youtu.be
The evidence session marks one year since the publication of the Committee's report into the impact of covid-19 on maternity and parental leave.
Read a summary of the Committee’s full report: https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/how-has-maternity-and-parental-leave-been-impacted-by-coronavirus-/index.html
The session will investigate what progress has been made against the problems identified and recommendations made to the Government in the report.
Witnesses include petition signatories, and representatives from campaign and sector bodies Pregnant then Screwed, the Early-Years Alliance, Adoption-UK and others. A full list of witnesses is available on the Petitions Committee website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/156378/committee-announces-evidence-session-on-the-impact-of-covid19-on-new-parents/
Survey on the impact of covid-19 on new parents
Last month, we asked you to share your experiences through an online survey to help inform the session. We also asked the experiences of Mumsnet users. Key findings from this engagement include:
- Access to baby and toddler groups, which provide vital support for both parents and children, remains limited even as restrictions ease. 68% of respondents told us they strongly disagreed with the statement that “I have been able to access baby and toddler groups over the past 12 months”
- 77% of respondents told us they strongly agree or agree with the statement that “The cost of childcare has prevented me from getting the kind of childcare I need”
- 72% of respondents who said they ran or worked for a childcare setting told us they expected the pandemic to have a major or moderate effect on their setting’s long-term financial sustainability
You can read a full summary of what new parents and childcare providers told us on our website: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/37718/pdf/
What are evidence sessions?
Evidence sessions are open meetings with experts, officials or people with personal experiences with the topic being examined. Evidence sessions help select committees like the Petitions Committee to understand how laws and Government policies are working in the real world, and what needs to change to make things better.
Further information
Find out more about the role of the Petitions Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/role/
Follow the Committee on Twitter for real-time updates on its work: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
Find out more about select committees: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/committees/select/
MPs hear evidence on covid-19 and new parents
MPs from the Petitions Committee held an evidence session with experts, campaigners and petition signatories on the impact of covid-19 on new parents and childcare providers on Wednesday 14 July.
During the session, the Committee heard that parents’ circumstances, such as being unable to find appropriate childcare, affected their ability to return to work as planned.
They also heard that providers of baby and toddler classes are finding that children coming to class are not as developed as they would expect, particularly socially.
If you missed it, watch the debate: https://youtu.be/lERhUe98ASU?t=499
Alternatively, you can read a transcript of the session on the Parliament website: https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/2561/default/
Survey
Ahead of the session, the MPs on the Committee asked for your experiences through an online survey. More than 8,700 new parents and childcare providers responded.
Respondents told MPs that the pandemic has significantly affected access to baby and toddler groups. They said that the cost of childcare is prohibitively expensive, and that childcare settings expect the pandemic to have had a moderate to major effect on their long-term financial sustainability.
Read an interactive summary of the survey: https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/lockdown-impact-on-new-parents-petitions/index.html
The House Magazine
Following the evidence session, the Chair of the Petitions Committee Catherine McKinnell MP wrote an article for the House Magazine about what the Committee learned from petition creators and expert witnesses. Read the article: https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/government-risks-failing-babies-and-parents-struggling-to-cope-during-covid
Impact of covid-19 and maternity and parental leave: one year on
The evidence session marked one year since the publication of the Committee's report into the impact of covid-19 on maternity and parental leave, a summary of which you can read here: https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/how-has-maternity-and-parental-leave-been-impacted-by-coronavirus-/index.html
What are evidence sessions?
Evidence sessions are open meetings where MPs examine experts, officials or people with personal experiences of a topic. Evidence sessions help select committees like the Petitions Committee to understand how laws and Government policies are working in the real world, and what needs to change to make things better.
Further information
Find out more about the role of the Petitions Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/role/
Follow the Committee on Twitter for real-time updates on its work: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
Find out more about select committees: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/committees/select/
The Government must review the funding and affordability of childcare, says Petitions Committee
On Thursday 7 October, the Petitions Committee published its report on the impact of covid-19 on new parents: one year on, which calls on the Government to commission a review into the funding and affordability of childcare.
Read the report (html): https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmpetitions/479/47902.htm
Read the report (pdf): https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/7477/documents/78447/default/
Key recommendations
In light of the pandemic’s ongoing impact on new parents and the childcare sector, as set out in the report, the committee’s new report recommends that the Government should commission a review into the funding and affordability of childcare. The report says this review should consider how to provide greater financial security to the sector following the pandemic and ensure childcare provision meets the needs of new parents seeking to return to work.
Other key recommendations include calling on the Government to:
- Publish a dedicated covid-19 recovery strategy for new parents, bringing together all Government actions to support this group, with a clear delivery plan
- Provide additional funding and resources to allow catch-up mental health support for new parents impacted by covid-19
- Fund local authorities in order to arrange in-person visits to new parents by the appropriate local authority, voluntary organisation, or health visiting staff by the end of the year
Find out more, including comment from Petitions Committee Chair Catherine McKinnell MP: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/157932/new-parents-need-a-dedicated-covid19-recovery-strategy-says-committee/
Background
This new report follows the committee’s inquiry last year into the impact of covid-19 on maternity and parental leave, which found that “the impact of the pandemic on new parents and their children has so far not been given as much attention as it should have been”.
Read the report: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmpetitions/526/52602.htm
However, while the Government’s response to that report expressed sympathy with the position of expectant and new parents, it did not accept the committee’s recommendations on actions to address this impact.
What happens next?
The Petitions Committee have submitted the report to the Government for their consideration. Once it’s been received, the committee will publish the Government’s response on its website and notify petitioners.
Government's response to 'Impact of covid-19 on new parents' report delayed
The Government has told the Petitions Committee that their response to the Committee's latest report on the Impact of covid-19 on new parents will be delayed. The Government’s response was expected by 7 December, as the Government is expected to respond to all select committee reports within two months.
In a letter dated 13 December, Maggie Throup MP, a Minister in the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), says this is to allow time for the DHSC to coordinate with other departments on its response.
We will let you know once the Government's response has been received and published.
Read the letter: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/8265/documents/84382/default/
Chair of the Petitions Committee responds to delayed Government response
Commenting on the delay in responding to the Committee's report, Catherine McKinnell MP, Chair of the Petitions Committee, said:
"I am disappointed the Government has failed to respond to our report on the impact of covid-19 on new parents on time. New parents, who have faced an accumulation of adversity during the pandemic, could be forgiven for seeing this delay as yet another sign that the Government is ignoring them.
"While I appreciate our report calls for coordinated action across Government, it is vital that Ministers provide a meaningful response to our constructive recommendations at the earliest opportunity, to ensure new parents are not let down any further."
The Petitions Committee's report on the impact of covid-19 on new parents
The Committee’s report, published in October, made a number of recommendations to the Government calling for better support for new parents and their babies, including for a dedicated covid-19 recovery strategy for new parents, and additional ‘catch-up’ mental health support.
Read the report [HTML]: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmpetitions/479/47903.htm
Read the report [PDF]: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/7477/documents/78447/default/
Read the report summary: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmpetitions/479/47903.htm
Read the report's conclusions and recommendations: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmpetitions/479/47910.htm
Government responds to Petitions Committee report on the impact of covid-19 on new parents
The Petitions Committee has published the Government’s response to the Committee’s report on the ongoing impact of covid-19 on new parents.
The Committee's report was published in October 2021. Amongst its recommendations, it called on the Government to commission a review into the funding and affordability of childcare.
In its response, the Government has said that while it will continue to support families with their childcare costs, it will not be launching an independent review of childcare at this time.
Read the Committee's report:
(HTML) https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmpetitions/479/47902.htm
(PDF) https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/7477/documents/78447/default/
Read the Government response:
(HTML) https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmpetitions/1132/report.html
(PDF) https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/9080/documents/159252/default/
The Committee's report on the impact of covid-19 on new parents
The Committee's report, published in October 2021, highlighted the pandemic’s ongoing impact on new parents, one year on from the Committee's initial report on the issue. It called for the Government to publish a dedicated covid-19 recovery strategy for new parents.
Other key recommendations made in the report included calling on the Government to:
- Provide additional funding for catch-up mental health support for new parents impacted by covid-19
- Fund local authorities to arrange in-person visits to new parents by health visiting staff by the end of the year
- Introduce stronger redundancy protections for new and expectant mothers as soon as possible
- Commission a review into the affordability of childcare for parents and the levels of funding provided to childcare providers.
The Government's response
The Government’s response points to the £500 million announced in the 2021 Autumn Spending Review for early years services, including mental health services for new parents. However, the response rejects the Committee's call to publish a covid-19 recovery strategy for new parents.
The response also:
- Fails to allocate funding specifically to deal with the backlog in mental health and health visiting services
- Does not set a timeline for strengthening redundancy protections for new and expectant mothers
- Rejects the call for an independent review into the funding and affordability of childcare.
Read more, including comment from Petitions Committee Chair Catherine McKinnell MP:
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/161509/governments-response-to-impact-of-covid19-on-new-parents-report-demonstrates-a-continued-lack-of-action-say-mps/
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Childcare costs debated by MPs
On Tuesday 7 June, MPs debated the cost of childcare and children's education recovery. This was an Opposition Day debate on a motion determined by the Labour Party.
Watch the debate: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/396f4020-be34-46b4-9cb4-d850fa2e5a03?in=16:12:54
Read a transcript of the debate: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-06-07/debates/7018B655-BB9C-44A1-A093-3698005106A8/Children%E2%80%99SEducationRecoveryAndChildcareCosts
During the debate, MPs highlighted concerns about the affordability and availability of childcare, and the impact this has on parents' (especially mothers') ability to remain in employment.
MPs also discussed the Government's plans to help children at school catch up on their education following the disruption caused by the covid-19 pandemic, support for the early years sector, and young people's mental health.
What are Opposition Days?
Opposition days are days allocated in the House of Commons for the discussion of subjects chosen by the opposition (non-government) parties.
Find out more about Opposition days: https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/opposition-days
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Share your views on changes to childcare staffing requirements with the Government
The Government has launched a public consultation on changes it is proposing to the number of children that childcare providers are allowed to look after in England.
Find out more about the consultation, and share your views.
The consultation is open until 11.45pm on 16 September 2022. Once the consultation has closed, the Government will publish a summary of the responses and next steps on GOV.UK.
What is the Government proposing?
The Government's proposals include changing the minimum staff to child ratios in England for 2-year-olds from 1:4 to 1:5. This means that each individual member of staff would be able to look after five 2-year olds. Currently a single member of childcare staff cannot look after more than four 2-year olds.
The proposals also including giving childminders extra flexibility to care for a fourth child under the age of 5 when looking after their own children or siblings of another child they care for.
The Government has said its plans are designed to improve the choice and availability of childcare that families can access while reducing costs, and to give childcare providers more flexibility and autonomy. This consultation seeks views on these proposals, to ensure any changes are "fair and well-informed".
Read more about the Government's plans in their press release.
The Minister for Children and Families, Will Quince MP, also made a written statement to MPs, setting out the Government's proposals.
Who is running the consultation?
The consultation is being run by the Department for Education, the Government department responsible for children’s services and education (including early years education) in England. The devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsible for policy in those nations.
Find out more about what the Department for Education does.
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Catherine McKinnell MP questions the Prime Minister on childcare at the Liaison Committee
The Prime Minister appeared before the Liaison Committee on Tues 20 December.
Chair of the Petitions Committee, Catherine McKinnell MP, questioned the Prime Minister on a number of issues including the cost of childcare in the UK.
Watch the Liaison Committee back
Read the transcript of the Liaison Committee
This was following petitions calling for the Government to take action on the cost of childcare, including:
- Commission an independent review of childcare funding and affordability, which received 113,704 signatures, and was debated in September 2021.
Watch the debate relating to funding and availability of childcare
Read the transcript of the debate relating to funding and availability of childcare
- Government to fund 30 hours free childcare from age 1 where both families work, which has received 150,000 signatures so far, and will be considered for debate.
What is the Liaison Committee?
The Liaison Committee is made up of Select Committee Chairs. It considers the overall work of select committees, promotes the questioning of the Government and chooses committee reports for debates. It questions the Prime Minister about policy, usually three times a year.
Find out more about the Liaison Committee
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MPs investigate support for childcare and the early years
A group of MPs called the Education Committee are looking into support for childcare and the early years.
The issues the Committee is considering include:
- How affordable and easy to understand the provision of childcare in England is
- Whether current entitlements are providing parents and carers with sufficient childcare
- The workforce challenges faced by early years providers
- Whether the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system is meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND)
Read the Committee's press notice announcing this work for more information.
What happens next?
The Committee is going to conduct 'evidence sessions' where they will hear from experts in the sector and representatives from the Government.
An 'evidence session' is a hearing where MPs ask key experts, such as Ministers or campaigners, questions on a particular topic. These experts are called 'witnesses' and they help MPs to gain a deeper understanding of the topic.
The Committee will then consider all the evidence it has taken and publish a report of its findings with recommendations to the Government on any changes that might be needed.
For more information about the inquiry, visit the Committee's inquiry page.
What is the Education Committee?
The Education Committee is a cross-party group of MPs that look into the work of the Department for Education, covering children's social care, schools, colleges, the early years and higher education.
- Find out more about the Committee on their website
- Follow the committee on Twitter for updates on its work
The Education Committee is a select committee.
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MPs debate the affordability and availability of childcare
On Tuesday 21 February, MPs debated the affordability and availability of childcare.
This was a Westminster Hall debate, led by Ruth Cadbury MP. Claire Coutinho MP, the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, responded to the debate.
What are Westminster Hall debates?
Westminster Hall is the second Chamber of the House of Commons.
Westminster Hall debates give MPs an opportunity to raise local or national issues and receive a response from a government minister. Any MP can take part in a Westminster Hall debate.
Debates in Westminster Hall take place on ‘general debate' motions expressed in neutral terms. These motions are worded ‘That this House has considered [a specific matter]'.
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Government announces increased access to free childcare
On Wednesday 15 March, the Government announced that working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week, for 38 weeks of the year, from when their child is 9 months old to when they start school.
This will be rolled out in stages:
- From April 2024, all working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours per week
- From September 2024, all working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3 years old will be able to access 15 hours per week
- From September 2025 all working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3 years old will be able to access 30 hours free childcare per week
Find out more in the Government's Spring Budge factsheet.
The Government also announced that it would be changing the staff-to-child ratios for 2 year olds from 1:4 to 1:5.
Find out more about the outcome of the childcare regulatory changes consultation .
The Chair of the Petitions Committee, Catherine McKinnell MP said:
"The Petitions Committee over several years of debate and public engagement, has heard from tens of thousands of parents struggling to afford suitable childcare.
“I’m proud the Petitions Committee has been able to give these tireless campaigners and industry experts a platform, and I thank everyone who has campaigned on this issue, especially those who have started and signed e-petitions about childcare.
"Yet – there is still more to do."
What is the Petitions Committee?
The Petitions Committee is a group of cross-party MPs that oversees petitions started on petition.parliament.uk
Follow the Committee on Twitter for real-time updates on its work.
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Support for childcare and the early years debated by MPs
On Monday 16 October, Robin Walker MP led a debate in Parliament on support for childcare and the early years. During the debate, MPs discussed the 30 hours free childcare scheme and the early childhood education and care system.
- Watch the debate
- Read the transcript ### What are backbench business debates?
Backbench business debates give backbenchers (MPs who aren’t ministers or shadow ministers) an opportunity to secure a debate on a topic of their choice, either in the Chamber or Westminster Hall.
MPs can make a request for a debate to the Backbench Business Committee, who hears and decides which debates to schedule.
Backbench debates can either be general debates (which do not end in a vote) or be on a substantive motion (which calls for an action and can end in a vote). This debate was a general debate.
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Government responds to Education Committee's report on childcare
MPs on the House of Commons Education Committee called for action by the Government to help support the childcare and early years sector.
Government response to the Committee's report on supporting the childcare and early years sector
In July 2023, the Committee published a report on supporting the childcare and early years sector and made recommendations to increase choice, availability and flexibility for parents.
You can read a summary of the Committee's report, and the Committee's full report on its website.
The Committee also had a debate on its report on 16 October where it pressed the Government on these issues. You can read the debate here.
The Government responded to the Committee's report on 17 October. The Government fully accepted four out of 23 of the Committee's recommendations and confirmed that it is:
- Engaging with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and a range of housing sector stakeholders to identify and reduce property related barriers to childminding
- Developing a national campaign "to boost interest in the sector"
- Removing barriers to entering the sector by ensuring qualifications are suitable and easily understood
- Introducing new types of apprenticeship for becoming a childcare professional
You can read the Government's response here.
What is the Education Committee?
The Education Committee is a cross-party group of backbench MPs that scrutinises the administration, spending and policy of the Government’s Department for Education.
- Find out more about the committee on its website
- Follow the committee on Twitter for updates on its work
The Education Committee is a select committee. Find out how select committees work.
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