An article said that childcare could protect the children of working mothers who were in unsatisfying jobs that left them emotionally exhausted.
Source: C. Chryssanthopoulou, J. Turner-Cobb, A. Lucas and D. Jessop, 'Childcare as a stabilizing influence on HPA axis functioning: a reevaluation of maternal occupational patterns and familial relations', Developmental Psychobiology, Volume 47, Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Nov
Research found that private and voluntary nurseries considered that their viability would be endangered by proposed new government-funded children s centres.
Source: Press release 28 November 2005, National Day Nurseries Association (0870 774 4244)
Links: NDNA press release
Date: 2005-Nov
The Welsh Assembly government published a childcare strategy. It said that it had a vision of childcare as part of the modern welfare state, available to all parents who needed it. Childcare would be delivered by qualified professionals, dedicated to serving the development needs of the children in their care.
Source: Childcare is for Children, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Strategy | WAG press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Nov
A Childcare Bill was published, designed to provide sufficient local childcare to meet the needs of working mothers and fathers, or those that wanted to return to work. The Bill also provided that, for children from birth to the end of reception year, all registered childcare settings would be required to deliver the 'Early Years Foundation Stage' - a framework of requirements for learning and care with the same legal force as the national curriculum. But the government dropped plans to end statutory regulation of childcare for children over 5. The Bill was given a second reading.
Source: Childcare Bill, Department for Education and Skills, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 28 November 2005, columns 24-102, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | DfES press release | HOC Library research paper | CPAG press release | Daycare Trust press release | PSLA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Nov
An article examined policy on childcare, drawing on a two-year study of the choice and provision of childcare in London. It concluded that social justice in childcare was more than a matter of access, and highlighted the lack of parental influence over the future direction and development of the childcare market.
Source: Stephen Ball and Carol Vincent, 'The childcare champion ? New Labour, social justice and the childcare market', British Educational Research Journal, Volume 31 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
Researchers said that young children who were looked after by their mothers at home developed better than those cared for by nurseries, childminders or relatives.
Source: Research by Penelope Leach, Kathy Sylva and Alan Stein, reported in The Observer, 2 October 2005
Links: Observer report | PSA press release (pdf) | 0-19 report
Date: 2005-Oct
An article said that help from relatives, of whom the biggest category was grandparents, had become an important complement to part-time formal childcare. Raising employment rates among the over-50s, in line with government policy, might conflict with the role of younger grandparents in childcare.
Source: Anne Gray, 'The changing availability of grandparents as carers and its implications for childcare policy in the UK', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 34 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
A report examined the views of children aged 3-4 in playgroups in Northern Ireland, with a view to informing childcare policy and practice.
Source: Giving Children a Voice: Accessing the views and interests of three to four year old children in playgroups, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIE press release
Date: 2005-Sep
An education inspectorate report said that inconsistencies between local authorities and a lack of joined-up thinking were limiting access to good-quality childcare provision for parents with children who had special needs.
Source: Removing Barriers: A can-do attitude - A report on developing good practice for children with special needs in early years childcare and education in the private and voluntary sectors, HMI 2449, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report (pdf) | OFSTED press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Sep
The education inspectorate said that almost half of England s estimated 105,000 childcare providers had achieved the highest possible grade of good in the period 2003-2005, and only 1 per cent were judged as being unsatisfactory .
Source: Early Years: Firm Foundations, HMI 2436, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report (pdf) | OFSTED press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Aug
The government began consultation on proposed legislation for the implementation of its 10-year childcare strategy - enshrining parents' "legitimate expectation" of accessible, high-quality childcare and early years provision.
Source: Childcare Bill Consultation, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | DfES press release | NDNA press release
Date: 2005-Jul
A report called for traditional antenatal visits to be replaced by home visiting for women at risk of poor birth outcomes; home visiting and antenatal classes to be delivered through children s centres; an ambitious target for improving the qualifications of the childcare workforce; phasing out of the childcare element of the working tax credit, to be replaced by direct funding to childcare providers; an increase in the flat rate of maternity pay to 224 per week; and an automatic right to work flexible hours for parents with a child under the age of 2.
Source: Jenny North, Support From The Start: Lessons from international early years policy, Maternity Alliance (020 7490 7639)
Links: Link removed
Date: 2005-Jul
A report said that nearly 3 in 10 men would consider working in the childcare sector, and 1 in 4 boys expressed an interest in entering the 'caring ' professions: but only 1 in 50 childcare workers were men.
Source: Heather Rolfe, Men in Childcare, Working Paper 35, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244)
Links: Report (pdf) | EOC press release | PSLA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jul
A report examined the extent and nature of fathers' involvement in childcare - as fathers in their own right, and as staff and volunteers. It said that men were deterred from getting involved in childcare, because playgroups and nurseries were dominated by women.
Source: Tim Kahn, Fathers' Involvement in Early Years Settings: Findings from research, Pre-school Learning Alliance (020 7278 9037)
Links: PSLA press release (pdf) | Children Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
A report examined how the private day nursery sector could help local authorities deliver the first phase of the government's ten-year strategy for childcare.
Source: Choice for Parents, the Best Start for Children: Local public/private partnerships to deliver children?s centres, National Day Nurseries Association (0870 774 4244)
Links: Report (pdf) | NDNA press release | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Jun
A research report said that programmes such as the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative and Sure Start had continued to stimulate the provision of affordable daycare in areas where it had previously been very limited. The childcare element of the working tax credit could work well in areas where living costs were relatively low, but less well where living costs were high.
Source: Sarah Dickens, Jean Taylor and Ivana La Valle, Local Childcare Markets: A longitudinal study, Research Report SSU/2005/FR/016, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jun
A report analyzed the impact of government childcare policy on private day nurseries.
Source: Childcare: Good Business for Families and Communities, National Day Nurseries Association (0870 774 4244) and Capacity
Links: Report (pdf) | NDNA press release
Date: 2005-Jun
The government published a prospectus for extended schools, setting out the services which they would offer - including childcare in primary schools between 8am and 6pm.
Source: Extended Schools: Access to opportunities and services for all, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Prospectus (pdf) | DfES press release | Daycare Trust press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
Research found that almost 8 out of 10 working fathers (79 per cent) would be happy to stay at home and look after their baby, while almost 9 out of 10 (87 per cent) of men felt as confident as their partner when caring for their child.
Source: Michael Thompson, Louise Vinter and Viv Young, Dads and their Babies: Leave arrangements in the first year, Working Paper 37, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244)
Links: Working paper (pdf) | EOC press release
Date: 2005-Jun
An evaluation was published of the role and effectiveness of approved childminder networks. It said that the development of such networks had raised the status and profile of the job of childminder.
Source: Sue Owen, Children Come First: The role of approved childminding networks in changing practice, National Childminding Association of England and Wales (020 8464 6164)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
The government announced plans (in the Queen's speech) for a Child Care Bill. The Bill would extend access to affordable and flexible childcare for families with children up to 14 years of age.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 17 May 2005, columns 29-31, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2005-May
An article compared two methods of defining employment in childcare and social care.
Source: Antonia Simon and Charlie Owen, 'Using the Labour Force Survey to map the care workforce', Labour Market Trends, May 2005, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
A briefing note examined public spending increases since 1997 aimed at helping families with formal childcare, early education and the work-life balance. It then outlined the key proposals in each of the three main parties' manifestos in this area of policy.
Source: Mike Brewer, Claire Crawford and Lorraine Dearden, Helping Families: Childcare, early education and work life balance, Election Briefing Note 7, Institute for Fiscal Studies (web publication only)
Links: Briefing Note (pdf)
Date: 2005-Apr
The government began consultation on a children s workforce strategy. The document set out four major strategic challenges: to recruit more high-quality staff into the children s workforce; to retain people in the workforce, by (for example) offering better development and career progression; to strengthen inter-agency and multi-disciplinary working; and to promote stronger leadership and management.
Source: Children s Workforce Strategy: A strategy to build a world-class workforce for children and young people, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Summary | Daycare Trust press release | NDNA press release
Date: 2005-Apr
A report by a working group of the Welsh Assembly government examined childcare provision in Wales, and made recommendations for improvements.
Source: A Flying Start: Childcare for children, parents and communities, Childcare Working Group/Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Mar
A report said that policy on childcare had failed to address the needs of families with disabled children, who could face 'exhausting battles' to find suitable provision.
Source: Everyone Counts: Supporting the childcare needs of disabled children, children with special educational needs and their families, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350)
Links: Report (pdf) | Daycare Trust press release | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Mar
The opposition Conservative Party said that it would scrap the rules which prevented parents from getting help towards childcare provided by family or friends. A childcare organization said that paying for informal childcare of that kind had massive drawbacks - it would be impossible to regulate, and flew in the face of public demand for high standards and stronger regulations.
Source: Press release 28 March 2005, Conservative Party (020 7222 9000) | Press release 29 March 2005, National Day Nurseries Association (0870 774 4244)
Links: Conservative Party press release | NDNA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
A report summarized research on childcare services in Wales. It looked at the experiences of parents in four contrasting communities, and made recommendations to achieve a step-change in provision in Wales.
Source: A Childcare Revolution in Wales, Bevan Foundation (01495 725214)
Links: Report (pdf) | Welsh version (pdf) | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Mar
The government published a summary of responses to consultation on its ten-year childcare strategy.
Source: Choice for Parents, the Best Start for Children: A ten year strategy for childcare - Summary of consultation responses, HM Treasury (020 7270 4558) and other departments
Links: Consultation responses (pdf)
Date: 2005-Mar
Researchers explored the ways in which experiences of, and views about, childcare differed between families of different ethnic origin in England. There were indications that black families were especially likely to have experienced problems with childcare availability, which were very likely to be linked with their high demand for these services.
Source: Alice Bell, Caroline Bryson, Matt Barnes and Ruth O'Shea, Use of Childcare Among Families from Minority Ethnic Backgrounds, Research Report SSU/2005/FR/011, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Mar
A report explored the ways in which experience of, and views about, childcare differed for families with children with special educational needs in England. There were indications that the childcare market was somewhat different for parents with children with SEN compared to other parents. They felt that there were fewer suitable childcare places in their local area; they more often failed to find suitable childcare at the times they needed it; and they frequently suffered from breakdowns at short notice in their childcare arrangements.
Source: Caroline Bryson, Ivana La Valle, Ruth O Shea and Matt Barnes, Use of Childcare Among Families with Children who have Special Educational Needs, Research Report SSU/2005/FR/012, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Mar
The children's day nursery market was worth 3.2 billion in 2004, having grown by 20 per cent in a year.
Source: Children's Nurseries 2005, Laing & Buisson (020 7833 9123)
Links: L&B press release
Date: 2005-Mar
A report presented findings from qualitative research designed to increase understanding of lone parents attitudes towards, and experiences of childcare; their decisions about childcare and work; and their views and experiences of recent and imminent policy initiatives and changes.
Source: Alice Bell, Naomi Finch, Ivana La Valle, Roy Sainsbury and Christine Skinner, A Question of Balance: Lone parents, childcare and work, Research Report 230, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
A report said that fathers were increasingly expected to be accessible and nurturing as well as economically supportive to their children; and they were self-conscious about juggling conflicts between looking after children and having a job.
Source: Margaret O'Brien, Shared Caring: Bringing fathers into the frame, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244)
Links: Report (pdf) | EOC press release
Date: 2005-Feb
A paper set out a strategy for the childminding sector in Northern Ireland, highlighting the key issues that it faced, as well as examining provision and funding. It said that demand for childminding far outstripped supply, and called for greater official support.
Source: A Way Forward for the Childminding Sector, Northern Ireland Childminding Association (028 9181 1015)
Links: Summary (pdf) | NICMA press release (Word file) | NIE press release
Date: 2005-Feb
An annual survey found that the cost of most types of childcare increased significantly in 2004, rising by 5 per cent for nurseries and childminders.
Source: Press release 27 January 2005, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350)
Links: Daycare Trust press release | NDNA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jan
An article discussed the complexity involved in co-ordinating childcare and employment, the barriers posed to maternal employment, and the strategies used by working parents to overcome the difficulties. Policy-makers needed to have a greater regard for the time and space dimensions attached to co-ordination, the co-ordination support provided by fathers and others (as opposed to childcare), transport issues, and the need for fully integrated early years provision in all neighbourhoods.
Source: Christine Skinner, 'Coordination points: A hidden factor in reconciling work and family life', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 34 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jan
Research found that, for most of the growing number of women who went out to work, organizing childcare for young children was a highly complicated process in which the slightest disruption was likely to cause a crisis. Among those living in big cities, pre-school arrangements - even for the most affluent households - involved careful scheduling of time and travel, typically using three or four different types of regular care.
Source: Linda McDowell, Living and Labouring in London and Manchester: Young adults' work/life choices, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: ESRC press release
Date: 2005-Jan
An article examined the 'relatively disappointing' results of the government's national childcare strategy, with particular emphasis on the role of early years development and childcare partnerships. Limited outcomes partly reflected the constraining legacy of previous policy and provision, but also had to be related to the way childcare had fitted into the wider government agenda, and third way discourse.
Source: Helen Penn and Vicky Randall, 'Childcare policy and local partnerships under Labour', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 34 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jan