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Notices and Press Releases

Daycare Trust : welcomes £4bn for childcare

Daycare Trust welcomes the £4 billion for Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare announced today by the Minister for Children and Youth Justice. The funding announcement confirms the early years as a key priority for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and includes funding for children's centres, outreach, childcare places and training and support for the workforce.

Alison Garnham, Joint-Chief Executive of Daycare Trust said, "Childcare and children's centres are already making a difference to millions of children across England. The funding announced today should ensure local authorities are able to reach out to all families and make good quality childcare a reality for all children.

"We also welcome the funding to support training and support for childcare workers; evidence consistently shows that the quality of settings depends on the standard of the workforce and this funding should help all settings provide a quality experience for all children. We hope this will be part of an ongoing package of support for childcare, not only for the next three years but for the long-term.

Daycare Trust is calling on the government to:

• Meet parents' aspirations for universal childcare services by:
  • expanding free places for two, three and four-year olds to at least 20 hours a week, for 48 weeks in the year and
  • subsidising out of school activities for all 11-14s and for younger children from poorer families, aiming ultimately to make them free.
• Tackle the affordability crisis by giving local authorities the means to develop sustainable services in poorer areas and provide free places for those missing out, including places for disabled children, parents needing out of hours care, Further Education students and parents of under-threes who want to train.
• Raise the bar on childcare quality by expanding the Transformation Fund, developing a new generation of childcare professionals and paying them properly.

Daycare Trust runs an information line (020 7840 3350) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am-5pm. Parents can also visit http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk for information.

Daycare Trust is a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty http://www.ecpc.org.uk/