Two-thirds of parents struggle to meet cost of childcare, says study

ALISTAIR GRANT

from the extra funding “may be offset by the withdrawal of working tax credits which are partially linked to childcare expenditure and to income”.

But it added: “Nonetheless, parents who pay for childcare in lower income groups on average spend a higher proportion of their income on childcare, and proportionately more of them report difficulties affording childcare.

“In addition, if parents with lower incomes use the increased ELC hours to start paid employment or work more hours, this could reduce the difference in average net financial benefits for parents in higher and lower income groups.”

Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: “Labour supports the extension of free childcare, but we can see now from the Government’s own report that the current expansion is primarily benefiting the better off, not those who are struggling.

“The truth is we will never be able to redress the difficulty parents have with childcare while the SNP government in Edinburgh is slashing council budgets.”

A survey of 10,526 parents and carers across Scotland found more than half who use their funded ELC entitlement also pay for childcare over and above this.

They spend an average of just under £500 a month – working out at between £3.87 and £4.45 an hour.

Meanwhile, more than half of funded childcare providers offer provision during school hours only, while less than onequarter open during school holidays.

The Scottish Government has committed to almost doubling the hours of funded childcare to 1,140 hours per year by 2020, in a bid to help disadvantaged children and support more parents into work, study or training.

Carolyn Lochhead, of the campaign group Fair Funding for our Kids, said nine out of 10 funded nursery places are only for half days, “meaning parents have to make complicated and expensive arrangements for the other half of the day”.

She said: “Lots of parents are struggling with both the affordability and accessibility of childcare. We want councils to provide childcare that helps working parents.”

Purnima Tanuku OBE, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, said parents across Scotland “continue to struggle to afford childcare”.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up and that means ensuring every child born here has an equal chance to succeed.

“To help us make this ambition a reality we are almost doubling the amount of funded childcare in Scotland for all three and four year olds.”

Rantzen says older people have a lot to give.