An article examined the importance of social class in shaping parents' differential engagement with the childcare market, and their understandings of the role childcare played in their children's lives. It identified the different 'circuits' of care available to families living physically close to one another, but in social class terms living in different worlds.
Source: Carol Vincent, Annette Braun and Stephen Ball, 'Childcare, choice and social class: caring for young children in the UK', Critical Social Policy, Volume 28 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Dec
A study found that 95 per cent of workplaces offered some form of flexible working for staff. The proportion of workplaces providing childcare facilities, or other arrangements to help parents combine work with family commitments, had more than doubled between 2003 and 2007, from 8 per cent to 18 per cent.
Source: Bruce Hayward, Barry Fong and Alex Thornton, The Third Work-Life Balance Employer Survey: Main Findings, Employment Relations Research Series 86, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (020 7215 5177)
Links: Report | DBERR press release | CIPD press release | Personnel Today report
Date: 2007-Dec
A report said that the United Kingdom government spent 3 per cent of national income on family services in 2003, higher than the OECD average of 2.4 per cent. But it highlighted the low rate of employment among lone parents and the shortage of out-of-school childcare, which prevented many women from taking up full-time paid work.
Source: Mark Pearson et al., Babies and Bosses: Reconciling work and family life – A synthesis of findings for OECD countries, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (+33 1 4524 8200)
Links: Summary | OECD press release | FT report
Date: 2007-Dec
The government announced £642 million of capital investment in early years settings from 2008-09 to 2010-11. The funding would focus in particular on the private, voluntary, and independent sectors, in order to ensure that all settings were of the highest quality and that all children – including those with disabilities – were able to access provision. The grant would also support small sessional providers to make the investments needed to deliver childcare more flexibly.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 22 November 2007, columns 139-140WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Speech | DCSF press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Nov
A paper examined the transformation of 'community' into 'area-based initiatives', using the national childcare strategy of the 1990s as one example. It reviewed the definition and use of 'community' as both the locus of the problem and the target for intervention.
Source: Teresa Smith, From Educational Priority Areas to Area-Based Interventions: Community, neighbourhood and preschool, Barnett Paper 2007/07, Department of Social Policy and Social Work/University of Oxford (01865 270325)
Links: Paper
Date: 2007-Nov
A report said that high costs, unsuitable hours, and concerns over quality still prevented many families from getting the childcare they wanted. For the most disadvantaged, even the free entitlement to nursery education for children aged 3-4 was not always taken up, and the baffling complexity of the childcare element of working tax credit was deterring many of those eligible from claiming much-needed help.
Source: Childcare Nation? Progress on the childcare strategy and priorities for the future, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350) and National Centre for Social Research
Links: Summary | Daycare Trust press release | Liberal Democrats press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Oct
A paper examined the effects of exposure to regular paternal childcare (without the mother present) in the first three years of life on the academic and social capabilities of boys and girls when they began school. Children's social development might be enhanced by time alone with fathers: but boys seemed to suffer academically from long hours of paternal care when they were toddlers.
Source: Elizabeth Washbrook, Fathers, Childcare and Children's Readiness to Learn, Working Paper 07/175, Centre for Market and Public Organisation/University of Bristol (0117 954 6943)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2007-Oct
A report published by the (outgoing) watchdog for gender equality sought to identify the underlying philosophy supporting national strategies for parents and carers; explore models from both the United Kingdom and Europe; and consider what a strategy to support parents and carers that also worked to reduce gender inequalities might look like.
Source: Susan Himmelweit and Hilary Land, Supporting Parents and Carers, Working Paper 63, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Oct
A report said that childcare places were available for only 1 in every 200 children aged 11-14 – putting thousands of children at risk of isolation, boredom, and temptation into crime.
Source: Karen Buck MP, Still Home Alone? Developing 'next generation' care for older children, 4Children (formerly Kids' Clubs Network) (020 7512 2100)
Links: Report | 4C press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Oct
Two linked reports examined two closely related pilot programmes in eleven local authority areas in England, designed to help lone parents to move into work. Parents who participated in the pilots were generally positive about them, and the pilots appeared to have had a beneficial effect on parents' views of formal childcare.
Source: Sue Clegg and Vanessa Stone, Evaluation of the Childcare Taster Pilot and Extended Schools Childcare Pilot Programmes: Final Report on Qualitative Research into Implementation, Research Report SSU/2007/FR/027, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260) | Emma Green and Genevieve Knight, Evaluation of the Childcare Taster Pilot and Extended Schools Childcare Pilot Programmes: Further Qualitative Research into Implementation, Research Report SSU/2007/FR/026, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report (1) | Brief | Report (2)
Date: 2007-Sep
A report examined the findings from focus groups conducted with parents of children with disabilities and special educational needs, asking them about their use of, views on, and needs for childcare. Some parents of children with severe and complex additional needs used very little or no formal childcare, instead becoming full-time carers themselves and/or relying on direct payments to employ care workers in the home.
Source: Listening to Parents of Disabled Children about Childcare, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Sep
An article examined early education and childcare policies since 1997. It said that the Labour government had, by intention and by default, supported the development of private sector – and especially corporate sector – childcare.
Source: Helen Penn, 'Childcare market management: how the United Kingdom Government has reshaped its role in developing early childhood education and care', Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, Volume 8 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Sep
The inspectorate for education and children's services said that there had been a drop in the proportion of childcare settings in England judged to be good or outstanding. 57 per cent of settings inspected in 2006-07 fell into these categories for overall care – a drop of 4 points on 2005-06. 4 per cent of childminders, nurseries, and cr?ches were 'inadequate', with weaknesses such as a lack of activities or staff training.
Source: Getting on Well: Enjoying, achieving and contributing, HMI 070059, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | NDNA press release | BBC report | Children & Young People Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Aug
A series of surveys collected information about childcare and early years provision and its workforce.
Source: Robert Kinnaird, Susan Nicholson and Emma Jordan, 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Surveys: Overview Report, Research Report RW009, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260) | Susan Nicholson and Robert Kinnaird, 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Surveys: Sessional Providers, Research Report RW016, Department for Children, Schools and Families | Robert Kinnaird, 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Surveys: Primary Schools With Reception But No Nursery Classes, Research Report RW015, Department for Children, Schools and Families | Andrew Jones and Robert Kinnaird, 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Surveys: Primary Schools With Nursery and Reception Classes, Research Report RW014, Department for Children, Schools and Families | Robert Kinnaird, 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Surveys: Out of School Providers, Research Report RW013, Department for Children, Schools and Families | Gemma Deakin and Robert Kinnaird, 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Surveys: Nursery Schools, Research Report RW012, Department for Children, Schools and Families | Robert Kinnaird, 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Surveys: Full Day Care Providers, Research Report RW011
Links: Overview report | Summary | RW016 | RW015 | RW014 | RW013 | RW012 | RW011 | RW010 | RW009 | Technical appendix
Date: 2007-Aug
Researchers examined the impact of pre-school provision, focusing on the relationships between various child, family, home, pre-school, and primary school characteristics and measures of children?s social/behavioural development collected at age 10.
Source: Pam Sammons et al., Influences on Children?s Development and Progress in Key Stage 2: Social/behavioural outcomes in year 5, Research Report RR007, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2007-Aug
A six-year comparison of almost 35,000 children in England found that there had been no change in the developmental levels of pupils entering primary school, despite the introduction of several new early years initiatives.
Source: Christine Merrell, Peter Tymms and Paul Jones, Changes in Children?s Cognitive Development at the Start of School in England 2000-2006, Curriculum, Evaluation and Management Centre/Durham University (0191 334 4255)
Links: Paper | BBC report | Children & Young People Now report | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Aug
A report examined the findings from eight focus groups conducted with parents from different black and minority ethnic groups, asking them about their use of, views on, and needs for childcare. Black and ethnic minority families preferred to use group childcare, seeing it as safer, higher quality, and more education-based.
Source: Listening to Black and Minority Ethnic Parents About Childcare, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350)
Links: Report | Children Now report
Date: 2007-Aug
The government announced details of a grant of more than £4 billion (for the period 2008-2011) for children's centres, early years education, and childcare. The money would go towards: providing a Sure Start children's centre in every community by 2010; outreach work to reach the most disadvantaged families; training and support for the early years workforce; ensuring that there were sufficient childcare places in each local authority; ensuring that every nursery and children's centre had a graduate to lead children's learning and development.
Source: Press release 2 August 2007, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0870 000 2288)
Links: DCSF press release | Sure Start press release | CPAG press release | EDCM press release | NDNA press release | Daycare Trust press release | PSLA press release | Guardian report | Community Care report | Children Now report
Date: 2007-Aug
The government announced funding of £1 billion (over three years) for the extended schools programme. Families would be able to access services such as breakfast clubs, childcare, family learning and parental support, and specialist child services such as speech therapy. Every school would offer access to extended services by 2010.
Source: Press release 25 July 2007, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0870 000 2288)
Links: DCSF press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Jul
Research found that only 1 in 50 working parents entitled to childcare vouchers had signed up for the scheme (giving parents of pre-school children tax-free tokens worth up to £55 per week). Most parents ignored the scheme because they either believed that applying would cause them too much hassle or thought that they did not have time to apply.
Source: Press release 1 May 2007, Childcare Choice (childcarechoice@sodexhopass.co.uk)
Links: Childcare Choice press release | Personnel Today report
Date: 2007-Jul
A report summarized the findings of focus group discussions with lone parents regarding childcare. Lone parents had unmet needs for childcare, and identified a number of gaps in childcare services that acted as barriers to take-up. Lone parents encountered considerable difficulties with childcare when working or trying to enter the workforce.
Source: Listening to Lone Parents About Childcare, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Jul
An article identified the costs and benefits of the 'sitter' service in Scotland (home-based childcare outside normal working hours, for children of shift workers and of lone parents/carers, and for children who required additional support). For very little expenditure, the service resulted in a range of individual and community benefits.
Source: Valerie Wilson, Stuart Hall and Julia Davidson, 'Do the benefits justify the costs? An evaluation of the "sitter service" in Scotland', Children & Society, Volume 21 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-May
Researchers evaluated the early stages of an innovative drop-in centre located in a community shopping centre in one of the most deprived areas of Oxford. The centre aimed to welcome and value all parents and carers, and also to extend their existing parenting practices.
Source: Maria Evangelou, Sally Smith and Kathy Sylva, Evaluation of the Sutton Trust Shopping Centre Project: Room to Play, Sutton Trust (020 8788 3223)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-May
A think-tank report said that the poorest children in society ? those living in workless households ? stood to gain the most from pre-school education: but their parents were eligible for less state support with nursery costs than all other parents. It recommended extending the scope of the childcare tax credit, which was available only to working parents.
Source: Julian Astle, The Surest Route: Early years education and life chances, CentreForum (020 7340 1160)
Links: Report | Times report
Date: 2007-Apr
A Member of Parliament introduced a Bill designed to extend the provision of childcare facilities in Wales.
Source: Childcare Provision (Wales) Bill, MP, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2007-Apr
A report examined the issues facing private and voluntary nurseries, and outlined a vision of how long-term sustainability could be achieved.
Source: Development of the Market: A childcare vision for day nurseries, National Day Nurseries Association (0870 774 4244)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Mar
The government published a new framework for the high-quality development, learning, and care of all children in their early years (from birth to age 5). All registered early years providers and schools would be required to use the framework from September 2008.
Source: Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Framework | DfES press release | NCH press release | Guardian report | BBC report | Children Now report
Date: 2007-Mar
A study examined the quality of provision in a representative sample of childcare settings in the Millennium Cohort Study. The quality of provision varied widely, with some offering excellent provision and others less than adequate quality. The maintained settings were providing the highest quality provision overall, particularly with regard to the 'learning' aspects of provision. Since the late 1990s, the biggest improvements had been seen in the voluntary sector.
Source: Sandra Mathers et al., Quality of Childcare Settings in the Millennium Cohort Study, Research Report SSU/2007/FR/025, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Mar
An annual report brought together key statistics, market trends, analysis, and future scenarios on the children's nursery sector.
Source: Children's Nurseries UK Market Report 2007, Laing & Buisson (020 7833 9123)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Mar
Researchers evaluated (in a series of linked reports) the neighbourhood nurseries initiative, launched in 2001 to provide high-quality childcare in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods of England. Neighbourhood nurseries had successfully reached some of the most disadvantaged groups - low-income families, lone parents, ethnic minority parents, and parents with low qualifications. Half of the parents using neighbourhood nurseries had not used any childcare before. Neighbourhood nurseries were providing integrated childcare and early education, and developing a wider range of services.
Source: Teresa Smith et al., National Evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative (NNI): Integrated Report, Report SSU/2007/FR/024, Sure Start Unit/Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288) | Ivana La Valle et al., National Evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative: Impact Report, Report SSU/2007/FR/020, Sure Start Unit/Department for Education and Skills | Teresa Smith, Kate Coxon and Maria Sigala, National Evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative: Implementation Study, Report SSU/2007/FR/021, Sure Start Unit/Department for Education and Skills | Sandra Mathers and Kathy Sylva, National Evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative: The Relationship between Quality and Children's Behavioural Development, Report SSU/2007/FR/022, Sure Start Unit/Department for Education and Skills | Maria Sigala and George Smith, National Evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative: Tracking and Neighbourhood Change, Report SSU/2007/FR/023, Sure Start Unit/Department for Education and Skills
Links: Integrated Report | Integrated Report summary | Impact Report | Implementation Study | Behavioural Development | Change Report | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report examined what leadership meant to key participants in early childcare settings. There was no single style of adult leadership that was suitable for all types of nursery, day care provision, reception class, or children's centre.
Source: Carol Aubrey, Alma Harris, Mary Briggs and Daniel Muijs, How Do They Manage? An investigation of early childhood leadership, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report | ESRC press release
Date: 2007-Feb
A report said that the 'vast majority' of children's centres were working with registered childminders in their area.
Source: Thomas Papworth, Sue Bishop and Julie Fennelly, Childrens Centres Work with Childminders, National Childminding Association of England and Wales (0845 880 0044)
Links: Report | DfES press release
Date: 2007-Feb
A think-tank report examined the economic and social impact of parenting during children?s early years development. There was a compelling economic case for investing in high-quality early years programmes that helped parents became better parents. Many of society?s most intractable social problems - crime, drugs misuse, unemployment, poor skills, and endemic unhappiness - were rooted in the experiences of children during their first five years of life.
Source: Alan Sinclair, 0-5: How Small Children Make a Big Difference, Work Foundation (0870 165 6700)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jan
A survey found that the cost of a typical full-time nursery place for a child under 2 in England had reached £152 per week - more than a third of average earnings of £447 a week. The costs had risen ahead of inflation, up almost 6 per cent on a year previously. Many families reported a lack of affordable childcare in their area.
Source: Press release 30 January 2007, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350)
Links: Daycare Trust press release | Guardian report | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Jan