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Complex childcare application systems create barriers for disadvantaged families, research warns

1 min read Early Years
Lengthy application processes and complex systems make accessing funded childcare entitlements difficult for disadvantaged families, research finds.
Current childcare policy benefits more affluent families, a new report warns. Picture: Oksana Kuzmina/Adobe Stock
Researchers are calling for a universal funded offer for younger children - Oksana Kuzmina/Adobe Stock

Disadvantaged parents, including those with English as an additional language or with low literacy or digital skills, are more likely to face barriers to accessing funded offers, according to a study by Coram Family and Childcare.

“Confusion about the different childcare entitlements, and difficulties with the application process and restrictions on how funded hours can be accessed, as well as additional charges to access them, all make it more challenging for parents to navigate the system,” the research states.

It also criticises “weak guidance from central government” which leaves local authorities without the levers needed to challenge such practices.

The report adds that new childcare entitlements for working families which are being expanded in a phased roll-out have “complicated the picture further, with conflicting and confusing messages to parents about eligibility and the purpose of different entitlements, as well as adding to the administrative burden for providers”.

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