Affordable, flexible childcare plan would be a vote winner

7 July 2014 3 mins read Anne Longfield Early Years

There is a problem with childcare being so much in the public spotlight. People either become immune to the argument - a kind of
"childcare fatigue" - or talk about it so much that we are lulled into a false sense of security that universal childcare is a reality or soon
will be.

For those that remember being part of a very small group of campaigners on the outer fringes of party conferences for many years, it is not a bad problem to have. But childcare is far too important an issue for children and families to take anything for granted. Despite the myriad announcements during recent months, many parents do not have any hope of finding the childcare they need and the difficulty increases when a family has more children and less money.

Political parties know how crucial affordable childcare is for families. They also know how important the family vote will be at the general election next year. So will any political party be bold enough to commit to the scale of ambition for childcare needed to claim the electoral prize?

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