The report, published this week, suggested that more flexible childcare provision, currently being pushed for by the government, "risks serving the interests of the parent but not of the child". It also backs decisions by local authorities to spread free childcare for three- and four-year-olds evenly across the week.
But the Daycare Trust's chief executive Alison Garnham, said the report was a missed opportunity to provide practical support for families. "For parents trying to balance childcare demands against working — particularly during these tough economic times — politicians should be doing everything in their power to make life easier," she added. "The benefits children receive from formal childcare are well documented and increasing the flexibility of the free entitlement would mean that even more children could feel these benefits and get the best start in life."
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