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CHAPTER SEVEN: REMOVING THE CHILDCARE BARRIER: ACCESSIBILITY, AFFORDABILITY, QUALITY

Table 7.1: Summary of Key Points

Introduction

7.1 In this section, the evidence from preceding sections is drawn together to assess the extent to which the pilot areas are removing the barrier of childcare and thereby meeting the pilot's aim to provide 'a virtual childcare guarantee'. This is explored in relation to the extent to which the pilots are addressing issues of:

• accessibility;
• affordability;
• quality.

7.2 The evidence shows clearly that both pilot areas are addressing each of these elements but to varying degrees. This is demonstrated through an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of accessibility, affordability and quality given in Tables 7.2 to 7.4 below.

Accessibility

7.3 Through existing and newly established provision, both areas are clearly offering a range of childcare provision for all parents, including single parent families (see Table 7.2).

7.4 This includes innovative approaches to provide out of hours, weekend and post-12 provision that is additional to what was available before the pilot and that should provide parents with greater opportunities to undertake shift work or weekend work.

7.5 However, the extent to which the childcare available is considered accessible for lone parents varies. This is for a range of reasons:

• there is some concern that the location of Extended Hours and weekend provision in Fife does not meet the needs of lone parents residing in differing locations of the county or the labour market opportunities available
• there is a perception that transport may be an issue in Fife should lone parents using 3-6pm provision in other clubs wish to access extended hours' childcare available in the 6-9pm provision
• there is some concern that the provision in Fife may not be wholly appropriate to meet the needs of older age children who may be reluctant to take-up traditional forms of childcare provision
• there is evidence that the type of provision developed in Aberdeenshire through Sitter Services may not match the childcare preferences of parents
• feedback from lone parents and Jobcentre Plus staff implies a lack of awareness of the differing childcare options available in both areas
• there is a perception that there is a shortage of available childcare in both areas with some (albeit limited) evidence that lone parents have been refused or placed on waiting lists for childcare. Given that Fife and Aberdeenshire's understanding of the position is that there is not a lack of available childcare, this supports the finding presented in previous sections, that there is a deficit in the information provided on the childcare available. In addition, it could be that the childcare does not fully equate with parents' needs or preferred choice of childcare.

Table 7.2: Accessibility: Strengths and Weaknesses

Affordability

7.6 Both areas have clearly addressed the issue of affordability to ensure that the childcare on offer is affordable for low income families (see Table 7.3).

7.7 This has been achieved through:

• the provision of registered childcare (all newly established provision in Fife and increased Sitter Services in Aberdeenshire) which means that lone parents are able to access funds to cover the costs of childcare through the childcare element of Working Tax Credit
• subsidising provision through other Local Authority initiatives, or using pilot monies to cover the costs of non-registered provision to further ensure affordability for parents on low income.

7.8 However, a number of issues regarding affordability emerge:

• offering subsidies - the fact that pilot monies have been used to subsidise non-registered provision in Aberdeenshire raises questions concerning the sustainability of the provision developed once the pilot comes to an end
• tax credit system - as has been demonstrated in previous sections, there are some weaknesses in the Working Tax Credit System that may have negative implications for the extent of uptake.

Table 7.3: Affordability: Strengths and Weaknesses

Quality

7.9 Both areas have ensured that the childcare offered is considered to be of good quality (see Table 7.4) through:

• developing registered childcare provision (all newly developed provision in Fife, Sitter Services in Aberdeenshire)
• devising differing programmes of care that reflect the age-range and length of time children are in childcare provision
• encouraging/promoting training for staff.

7.10 However, the fact that newly established provision for children aged 12 plus in Aberdeenshire was not registered, raises questions regarding:

• the extent to which parents can be confident of the quality of that provision
• the extent to which the Local Authorities can provide assurances of quality, in the absence of non-registered status.

7.11 The option to provide non-registered childcare means that parents are not eligible to claim the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit. This not only raises issues regarding sustainability as outlined above, but also limits the extent to which the pilot can promote the use of good quality registered childcare amongst its other priority groups, namely, parents in receipt of Working Tax Credit who are not using registered childcare.

7.12 Nevertheless, it should be acknowledged that Aberdeenshire was testing the issue of 'childcare' for older age children as this was identified as a gap in provision. The delivery model devised was a way of testing the notion of activity-based childcare within the confines of the pilot timescale. In this way Aberdeenshire was endeavouring to deliver childcare that was unique and innovative.

7.13 There is evidence to suggest that some lone parents are not aware of the benefits of good quality formal childcare. Moreover, there is a lack of clarity regarding responsibilities to increase awareness of the benefits of formal childcare amongst the pilot target groups. Jobcentre Plus staff, for example, have concerns that discussing with lone parents the strengths and weaknesses of differing forms of childcare is outside of their remit.

Table 7.4: Quality: Strengths and Weaknesses

Summary

7.14 The evidence suggests that the pilots have worked hard to provide and develop childcare provision that is accessible and affordable for parents.

7.15 Despite this, there are inevitably some weaknesses in the type and range of provision on offer which suggests that the pilots have only partially met the aim to 'ensure that wherever possible, if a job is available then so is registered childcare' ¹⁵.

7.16 This is because, despite the wide range of childcare services on offer across both pilot areas, a number of limitations emerge. These include:

• the location of provision and whether this is in an area that is accessible
• the extent to which provision matches parental preferences
• the extent to which the provision available is registered
• limited awareness of what is available
• lack of action undertaken to raise awareness of the benefits of formal childcare that may have altered attitudes towards formal and informal options.

7.17 Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that providing childcare that is accessible, affordable and of good quality is by no means a straightforward task and is complicated by the fact that parental preferences for the type of childcare accessed can differ. Thus there is no 'one size fits all' solution to providing childcare for lone parents and what suits one lone parent may not be deemed appropriate by another. This is corroborated by the evidence presented in preceding sections that many lone parents have a preference for parental or informal childcare. Therefore, cost-effective solutions are difficult to address.

7.18 In developing accessible, affordable, quality childcare, Local Authorities are clearly constrained by issues that are outside of their control. These include restricted timescales, available levels of resources, limitations of linked policy interventions ( i.e. the Tax Credit system) and differing parental preferences for childcare.

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