The Child Benefits report by Professor Edward Melhuish of the University of London backs up calls for greater investment in childcare, especially in staff training and development.
It said key aspects of a quality workforce were higher levels of staff education, experience and training, continuity of staffing and adequate wages.
The Daycare Trust director Stephen Burke said: "Quality childcare is good for children, parents and society. We must make sure every child gets the start in life they deserve. If we value children, then we must value childcare."
More than half of adults surveyed in a Mori poll for National Childcare Week believed that well-trained and rewarded staff were the most important factor for high-quality childcare.
Parents said childcare helped children's social skills, prepared them for school and provided opportunities to mix with children from various backgrounds.
But the survey revealed that disadvantaged children, who are most likely to benefit from good childcare, were least likely to have access to such services.
Only 18 per cent of parents with no formal qualifications access childcare compared with 44 per cent of those with a degree.
National Childcare Week includes the launch of a Quality Childcare Charter for parents and providers, and the Childcare Champions awards for parents who have fought for quality childcare in their communities.
