Alongside all the current childcare support of low income families receiving 80% of childcare costs paid, the 15 funded hours for all children from non working low income families, children’s centres.
When DD was little the going rate in large city was £20 a day. I paid £80 a week. This was a stay at home mom earning some pocket money raising her own child, and wanted him to have a few friends.
The government then did two things - first all childminders had to be registered and trained in early years, they had to be inspected etc
They put the prices up.
Then the government offered 80% fees, to get woman back to work - this did two things, the childminders now saw £££ signs and upped their prices, making it unaffordable to most, those who couldn’t be bothered with the inspections stopped doing it so the pool got smaller, they upped the prices.
The other thing, the woman are now working and flooded the job market so pay dropped - now people need two wages to afford housing.
It is an issue and one where the government had a full hand in playing this game.
It was no longer acceptable to be a stay at home mother and look after your own children, you were expected to work.
I had twins, the 80% only applies to the younger child, so I could no longer afford to work.