The childcare agenda would not have moved to the mainstream at that time without ministers Margaret Hodge, Harriet Harman and Patricia Hewitt, the media, and organisations such as the Daycare Trust (as it was known). Then, early years and childcare professionals welcomed the strategy, which we all hoped would shape the future of childcare following the national childcare strategy that was launched in 1998.
So 10 years on, where are we now? Childcare remains one of the big domestic issues as we approach a general election next year. Everyone acknowledges that childcare is key to ending child poverty, promoting child development, improving life chances, tackling inequalities, promoting work-life balance and stimulating economic recovery. But unfortunately the 10-year strategy has failed to truly deliver.
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