Childcare Commission must broaden parameters, urges NDNA

The government is calling for evidence for its Childcare Commission, which was launched by Prime Minister David Cameron last month.

The commission, led by children’s minister Sarah Teather and work and pensions minister Maria Miller, will be examining how childcare can be made more affordable, how to expand out-of-hours provision and how regulation of the sector, including childminding, can be simplified.

But Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the NDNA, said the commission cannot come up with effective solutions on the affordability and accessibility of childcare without considering wider pressures on both parents and providers.

She said: “There is talk about regulation and ratios, the Nutbrown review on qualification has reported and the universal credit is coming in next year, so there are a whole load of things that need to be looked at together.

“Although the Prime Minister said he recognises the funding system for early years providers is very complex when he launched the commission, funding simplification is not formally part of the review.

“I can’t see how the government is going to address childcare affordability without looking at funding. We have got such a complicated stream from the funding for free nursery education, to childcare vouchers and tax credits – all these things must be looked at.”

Tanuku also urged the government to address the costs facing providers including staffing.

“Providers are faced with a combination of increases to business rates, utility bills, and parents wanting to only using the free entitlement hours,” she added.

“Our latest business performance survey shows some worrying trends. In one region the number of babies has grown and that has implications because the younger the children the higher the costs.”