Children are starting school still wearing nappies because working parents are too busy to potty train them, a Tory MP has said.
Miriam Cates' comments came after a report revealed nine in ten reception teachers claimed at least one child in their class was not toilet trained.
The prominent MP told a conference that teaching toddlers to use the toilet is 'impossible' in a system where new mothers are forced to return to the workplace as soon as possible.
She also said that parents' misguided desire to shield their children from any unhappiness was behind increasing obesity, addiction to smartphones and a desire to change gender among young people.
Educators have demanded that parents start to 'take more responsibility' as they say nearly half of toddlers arrive for their first day and are not 'school ready'.
And each school is now having to spend an average of more than £21,500 supporting children who have not been fully prepared to access the learning and development opportunities schooling provides.
Statistics by YouGov for the School Readiness Survey revealed nine in ten teachers say they have a pupil who cannot eat independently - while 97 per cent have at least one who cannot count to ten and 93 per cent have one who cannot say their own name.
