Published by Plum, a smart money app, the letter demands a better deal for parents with early years provision and support in the UK.
It follows a survey of over 1, 000 parents of young children carried out by Plum, which reveals:
- Three out of four (74 per cent) respondents have seen their childcare bill increase in the last year.
- 57 per cent feel the Government needs to do more to help parents.
- More than two-thirds say the cost of childcare has affected how much they work.
- One in three say the cost of childcare has put them off having another child.
- More than two-thirds are confused about what support they will be entitled to once the extended entitlement comes in from April.
Respondents also highlighted concerns surrounding providers’ abilities to meet increased demand for places with the roll-out of the expanded offer, as well as being able to find suitable staff and meet staff: child ratios.
Comparing a similar survey Plum carried out in January 2023, Head of Money at Plum, Rajan Lakhani, said that the findings suggest the Government needs to do more to reassure and support parents.
He explained, ‘Over the last year family finances have been put under extreme strain as providers have been forced to increase their fees. While we’re a few weeks away from the phased roll out of additional childcare support, last month’s stress over tax codes for parents of two-year-olds has further added to the confusion and mistrust.
‘It’s no surprise that there are widespread fears that providers will struggle to cope with the upcoming changes – which will have devastating consequences for families up and down the country.’
- Click here to access the open letter, which is signed by June O'Sullivan, chief executive of the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), Adrienne Burgess, joint chief executive of The Fatherhood Institute and Kate Dyson, founder of The Motherload.
