- Conference
- 2019 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 25 October 2018
- Decision
- Carried
Childcare still remains a barrier to women in the workforce, with access to provision determined by class and income. Currently, all families are entitled to free childcare for 3-4 yr olds, but families with an income of over 16 hours on minimum wage are eligible for 30 hours of free childcare a week for the same age group, which causes difficulties for parents on zero-hours contracts. According to a study by Waldfogel and Stewart, the formula for the 30 hours free childcare diverts resources away from the state-run nurseries that lower-income families depend upon, widening the gap between children in affluent and deprived families and placing further strain on our education system. The average working week in the UK is 37 hours, so families working full-time who are eligible for the 30 hours provision must still pay for almost a full day’s childcare a week. The increase in funding options has not been matched by investment in services, and many providers struggle to find places to meet demand. For families with younger children, there is much less support, and the average family with a 2-yr-old spends £11,562 on full-time nursery, which can price low-income families out of provision. Although some families receiving income-based support are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare, this accounts for less than half of the working week, and eligible children are often in competition with more affluent children for providers’ limited number of places. Research by the Social Market Foundation has found that a high-quality nursery education provides children with the best start in life, and this current system favours the children of higher-income parents over those whose parents are unemployed or living in poverty.
• Conference we ask the National Women’s Committee to: Call on the government to introduce 37 hours of free childcare for all children under the age of four, which will facilitate parents’ return to work and provide all our children with the best start in life, regardless of their background.
• Conference we ask the National Women’s Committee to: Work with Labour Link to include universal childcare for under 4s as a priority in the next Labour Party manifesto.
• Conference we ask the National Women’s Committee to: Call on the government to fund local authorities to provide new state-run nursery places for the children who will now be eligible, and offer opportunities for professional development to all childcare staff regardless of sector.
• Conference we ask the National Women’s Committee to: Work with Labour Link to provide the infrastructure of premises and staff that will give each child access to high-quality care in the event of a Labour government.