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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
How accessible is child care today?
1Daycare Trust, London.
Insights
The UK has increased child care places, but affordability and availability remain challenges, especially for low-income families and those with special needs. Further investment is crucial for quality child care provision.
Area of Science:
- Public Policy
- Social Sciences
- Child Development
Background:
- The UK Government's 10-year child care strategy and the Childcare Act 2006 aim to improve child care quality.
- Significant increases in day care places, particularly full-time and out-of-school options, have been observed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness and accessibility of current child care provisions in the UK.
- To identify persistent challenges in child care availability and affordability.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of government policy documents (10-year strategy, Childcare Act 2006).
- Examination of child care place availability statistics for children under eight.
- Assessment of child care costs relative to average wages.
Main Results:
- While child care places have increased, availability is not universal, with shortages for children with disabilities and non-standard working hours.
- Child care costs have outpaced inflation, becoming unaffordable for some low-income families.
- Recruitment and retention of qualified child care staff are hindered by low pay and status.
Conclusions:
- Despite policy frameworks, universal access to affordable, high-quality child care in the UK is not yet achieved.
- Addressing the cost, availability for specific groups, and workforce issues requires further investment.
- The UK lags behind Scandinavian countries in day care investment and provision.
Abstract:
The Government's 10-year child care strategy and the Childcare Act 2006 have established the framework for improving the provision of good quality child care for parents who need it in the UK. The number of day places for child care has increased, especially for full-time care and out-of-school clubs. There is now one place for every three children aged under eight years, but much needs to be done before care is available to all parents who need it. The cost of child care has risen above inflation and care for one child currently costs about one-third of the weekly earnings of a mother on an average wage. This puts child care beyond the reach of some low-income parents. There is a shortage of places for children with disabilities and for children of parents working outside normal office hours. Although efforts are being made to establish a better qualified and professional child care workforce, low pay and status make it difficult to recruit and retain suitable, high quality staff. More investment is needed in day care to bring the UK up to the level of Scandinavian countries.
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