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27th June 2024
By Emma Goddard

Years of underfunding of key planks of the childcare offers, and a lack of vision or strategy for the early years sector has led to a childcare system that is both unaffordable and inaccessible.

Parents tell us they struggle to pay their high childcare bills, and we have seen growing childcare shortages across the country meaning many parents struggle to get a place, especially if they are on low incomes, from migrant backgrounds or their children have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) such as autism. We know that many hardworking, dedicated staff are leaving the sector due to poor pay and limited career progression. Taken together, this means too many children miss out on the high-quality early education that can boost their outcomes in childhood and beyond.

Now is the time for reform. Our Manifesto sets out the problems facing the early years sector and our recommendations on how to fix them. Reform is needed for a childcare system that serves the interests of society, parents and children.

-ENDS-

Our Manifesto

Notes to Editors    

For more information, please contact Emma Lamberton, Communications Manager, Coram at emma.lamberton@coram.org.uk / 0207 520 0427 / 07908 827908. For our latest research on childcare availability, costs and barriers to successful delivery of the expansion of funded childcare, see our Childcare Survey 2024.

About Coram Family and Childcare 

Coram Family and Childcare works to make the UK a better place for families by bringing together what we learn from our on the ground parent-led programmes and our research to campaign for solutions that parents want and need. We focus on childcare and early years to make a difference to families’ lives now and in the long term. Before August 2018, we were known as the Family and Childcare Trust. 

For more information, please visit: 

Website: coramfamilyandchildcare.org.uk

Twitter: @CoramFamChild 

Facebook: @CoramFamChild

About Coram 

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity, supporting children to have the best possible chance in life since 1739. We work as a group of specialist organisations helping more than a million children, young people, families and professionals every year.   

We support children and young people from their earliest days to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime. We help build their confidence; we help them to develop skills; we uphold their rights, we support practitioners in the areas of fostering and adoption and we find loving adoptive families for the most vulnerable children. 

We work in over 2,000 schools supporting nearly half a million children, run London’s largest Regional Adoption Agency and provide free legal advice for thousands of children and families who need it every year. 

For more information, please visit: 

Website: www.coram.org.uk 

Twitter: @Coram 

Facebook: Coramsince1739 

Instagram: coram.uk