Description:
Working parents' aspirations for work and childcare have led policy makers to consider a variety of childcare initiatives with the dual aim of supporting parents into work and providing a solid foundation for early learning and development for children. Parents want affordable, high quality, accessible and flexible childcare but also want to balance work and care responsibilities to spend more time with the family, in particular in the early years.
This review of what parents want from childcare was commissioned by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to inform the ‘Working Better' project. It builds on earlier stages of ‘Working Better' by assessing the extent to which parents work and care aspirations for childcare are being met through existing initiatives and examines the role of childcare in meeting the changing needs of families and workers in the 21st century.