It has been heralded as the most important development in childcare in more than half a century, but now it's down on paper, does the Government's 10-year strategy deliver?
It promises to introduce measures to improve choice and flexibility for parents, ensure childcare is available to all, boost its quality and make it more affordable.
The document has been broadly welcomed with the acknowledgement that the vision must be backed by investment.
"The announcements provide a substantial downpayment which will need to be built on year on year," says Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children.
Parental pay and leave
The strategy highlights the benefits of one-to-one care for very young children and there is a goal to extend paid maternity leave to one year by the end of the next Parliament. The entitlement will increase from six to nine months from April 2007.
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