CYP Now - Policy & Practice: Policy into practice - Childcare is needed forteens as well as toddlers

Proposals to change benefit requirements so lone parents with children over the age of 11 will need to seek work are contained in the Government's recent Working for Children report. But for many parents, the prospect of returning to work at such an important stage in their child's life is fraught with difficulty.

The availability of childcare for teenagers remains stubbornly low and,with no right to request flexible working, many parents face difficultchoices with some having to leave their children unsupervised afterschool and during holidays. For lone parents with disabled children thiswill be impossible.

The complexity of delivering this form of childcare is partly because ofthe need to meet both parents' and young people's needs. From 2008,local authorities will be required to assess and respond to these needs.But the lack of clarity about demand for and appropriate models ofchildcare for older children is felt by local authorities and parentsalike. As a result, developments are often slow.

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