Ex-cabinet minister Stephen Byers MP told a children's services seminar that Labour could face criticism if it continued to pour cash into childcare.
"People will say it discriminates against non-parents," he said.
Byers argued that the Government should develop a concurrent, more general package of support for carers to "neuter" that argument.
He also advocated moving beyond the targeted approach of Sure Start to make children's centre-based services available to everyone. "Three quarters of parents with children in poverty are not getting the benefit of Sure Start, and it could lead to a political backlash if the Government is not careful," he said.
The Labour backbencher said co-payments could be the way forward, with a means-tested system to make childcare more accessible to middle-income families currently missing out on affordable places, while ensuring that the greatest benefit is still targeted on those most in need.
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