« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
SECTION SEVEN - CONCLUSIONS
INTRODUCTION
7.1 Section Seven summarises and interprets the key findings of the research presented in the preceding Sections.
CONCLUSIONS
7.2 The research has found that overall around half of all parents do not use childcare at all, neither informal nor formal. Of those using childcare, informal is the most common form of provision, predominantly supplied by grandparents. This is also by far the most common ideal childcare arrangement due to the fact that grandparents are trusted to look after children in a way that their parents would expect. However, some parents (particularly those in higher income households) also express concern over the burden on grandparents.
7.3 In terms of formal provision, nurseries are the most common form of provision. Nurseries and nursery classes in schools are also the most common form of pre-school provision for over three-quarters of parents.
7.4 Some parents prefer nurseries for reasons linked to safety, education, and socialisation whereas other parents prefer to use childminders for reasons such as flexibility, cost, a 'homely' environment and affection given to their child.
7.5 The use of childcare is highly dependent on the age of the child. The majority of parents use childcare for children under 6 years old, most of which is formal childcare. The overall usage of childcare, and the proportion of this provision that is formal, declines for children of school age.
7.6 In terms of the amount of childcare accessed, few parents access sufficient childcare to provide cover for a full-time job, even accounting for time at school for older children. For those parents working, this indicates that parents might work shorter hours and/or that those parents who work full-time but do not access sufficient hours of childcare will require cover from their partner during working hours. Many families may have complex arrangements, in order to juggle work and their childcare, such as utilising various childcare providers and working more than one job.
7.7 Many parents expressed a strong preference to be the main carer for their own children, with working parents often experiencing feelings of guilt for having to leave their children with childcare providers. If having to access childcare, the availability of informal carers locally was highlighted as a key issues by parents, with those having family nearby tending to rely more heavily on informal care.
7.8 Pre-school education is seen as a positive element as it prepares the child for school and generally parents can access the desired provision. However, parents sometimes find it difficult to combine pre-school provision with other childcare and their working life.
7.9 Predominantly, the most important factor in parents' childcare decisions is trust in their provider, which is why grandparents and other family members are such a popular choice. Other factors also matter, such as cost and location, albeit to a much lesser extent than trust. For parents on lower incomes, cost becomes a much more important factor than for parents in higher income groups. Cost is also a more important issue for lone parents and families with a larger number of children as compared to other parent groups, and this is linked to income levels.
7.10 Most parents are happy with their childcare arrangements. In terms of current issues with childcare, affordability and the financial burden on households are highlighted but the burden on informal carers is also noted.
7.11 Requirements for specialist provision for children with additional support needs only affects a very small number of parents, with around half of the parents with children with special needs noting that it influences their childcare choices. However, this should not detract from the very significant impact this can have on the parents and children affected. Some parents with children with special needs had experienced difficulties finding appropriate childcare, and felt that high quality provision suited to their children's needs was not always available.
7.12 Typically, childcare is used on weekdays rather than at weekends and most parents seek to access childcare during working hours. This is also reinforced by the finding that this is the time that parents most commonly highlight difficulties accessing the required childcare. This is especially an issue for parents of children under 5 or in the early years of primary school, with an indication that it is formal, structured childcare is the desired additional provision.
7.13 Other areas highlighted concerned the provision for those working irregular patterns and also the provision of 'drop-in' facilities, which could provide childcare flexibly. A common complaint in relation to nurseries was the inflexibility of this provision, such as strict times for children being collected.
7.14 Most parents did not look for information on childcare and for those who did, the most common information was by word of mouth. This might indicate that a number of parents hear about a provider through word of mouth and only then supplement this information with other information sources. Word of mouth and local knowledge seems particularly common in rural areas and smaller communities. Those parents who had accessed information through the government felt that it was not comprehensive enough.
7.15 The majority of parents have stable childcare arrangements, not having to change arrangements unexpectedly. For those who do, a significant minority do not find it difficult to find appropriate provision. Of those who do find it difficult, identifying a suitable provider was the most common difficulty.
7.16 More than 4 out of 10 parents felt they did not have a choice about working or not. This is slightly more common for those parents who currently do not work. Affordability of and access to, childcare are highlighted as some the key factors in this context. The qualitative research revealed that the decision to work or not work is multi-faceted and driven by issues such as cost and income, availability of quality provision in the local area, and ideas about the role of the parent in raising the child.
7.17 Around 3 out of 10 parents who currently do not work are not happy with this choice. This is especially prevalent for those who are looking after the home and family, those on low incomes and for single parents.
7.18 Most households do not adjust their working hours to provide childcare. Of those who do, this is most common in two-parent households. Different strategies are undertaken depending on the employment circumstances of the parents but a common strategy is for the mother to work part-time in order to continue earning but still retain the balance of care for the child/ren. The lower number of lone parent households which have reduced their working hours might reflect a degree of choice for the two-parent/partner households. A single parent might not be able to afford to reduce working hours, whereas a two- parent/partner household might choose to forego income to spend more time with the child/ren. A number of parents choose self-employment to fit their work patterns with childcare arrangements.
7.19 In terms of accessing childcare in different localities, parents highlight excess demand in urban areas and often a complete lack of provision in rural areas.
7.20 The weekly cost of childcare varies widely between households with the majority paying nothing (informal care or free provision) while a further 1 in 4 pays less than £40. For those using only formal childcare, the share of those not paying anything falls to 27%. The shares of those paying between £1 and £40 a week and between £41 and £75 a week are 40% and 20%, respectively.
7.21 Cost is an important factor in choice of childcare arrangements, but by no means the predominant factor, which instead is trust in the provider. As might be expected, parental demand that appears to be most sensitive to cost is that of low income families and lone parents. The number of children also seems to be a key influence on whether parents report cost as a key factor, with families with a larger number of children being more concerned about cost.
7.22 For those parents already accessing formal childcare, trust and cost are still important consideration but other factors such as location also become important. For this group, the emphasis on cost between lone parents and two-parent households and those in different income groups is not noticeable, potentially indicating that the choice made is, by its very nature, affordable.
7.23 Benefits such as tax credits and free provision are especially seen by low income groups and by lone parents as a key factor in accessing childcare. However, it should be noted that some parents report that potential help with childcare costs through government measures such as Child Tax Credit had only been of limited help.
« Previous | Contents | Next »