The Education Committee launches a new inquiry into the childcare sector and early years education, examining why it has become too expensive for a growing proportion of young families.
MPs will investigate issues including the Government’s current system of entitlements to subsidised childcare, which are partly dependent on parents’ employment status and earnings, and the Tax Free Childcare scheme, which has been called too confusing and underutilised.
A poll of 20,000 working parents last year found that 97% believe childcare is too expensive, while this year’s Family and Childcare Survey showed that the average price of full-time nursery care for a child aged under two stands at over £270 a week.
