The Government is looking at introducing state-registered agencies to offer back-up childcare if a childminder is off sick or a child is unwell and cannot go to nursery, it has emerged.
But Rosemary Murphy, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, warned: "Sick children want their parents, or carers that they know and trust - they do not want to be left with strangers.
"We must make sure any back-up system is balanced alongside flexible working rights for parents." Stephen Burke, chief executive of the Daycare Trust, said emergency childcare similar to "sitter services" in Scotland could offer more choice to families on lower incomes.
But he said the regulatory framework would have to be changed to allow for this.
The DfES is consulting on "light touch" vetting for childcare workers, which could make it easier to set up emergency childcare agencies.
